Institute of Legal and Management Studies

The Supreme Court will hear tomorrow the plea of a Ramlila organizing committee challenging Allahabad High Court's ex-parte stay of ongoing Ramlila celebrations at a school ground in Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan and N Kotiswar Singh today allowed urgent listing of the case, upon a mentioning. The counsel who mentioned the case on behalf of the petitioner (Ramlila organizing committee) submitted that the High Court passed the ex-parte order without hearing it.

"In a PIL, it has stayed the ongoing Ramlila proceedings...10 days we have organized it, day before the order was passed...ongoing Ramlila proceedings have been stayed by the High Court at the behest of the PIL petitioner without impleading us or hearing us, on the ground that Ramlila is being organized in school grounds and there's interference with school activity", he said.

Hearing him, Justice Kant directed that the matter be listed tomorrow.

Briefly put, the High Court passed the impugned order in a PIL which alleged that cement interlocking titles had been fixed in the school playground for converting it into a permanent place for holding events like Ramlila. Further, the main gate of the school had been converted into a 'Sita Ram Gate' and various swings etc. had been put at the main gate of the school.

The PIL petitioner claimed that teaching activities would be badly affected during the 18 days when 'Ram Lila' was to be performed. Further, children would be deprived of a play ground.

Per contra, the state authorities submitted that the interlocking tiles were fixed as there was waterlogging in the school ground. The holding of Ramlila was sought to be justified on the ground that it had been taking place since last 100 years and would be restricted to the time between 7-10 pm. But the High Court was not convinced.

"From the instructions produce, it is not known as to who is organizing the 'Ram Lila', and who has granted permission for the holding of the 'Ram Lila' within the school premises, though admittedly the land in question is recorded in the name of Zila Parishadiya Vidhyalaya, Tundla. Further, despite setting up of such huge stage etc. in the play ground, the claim made that the teaching activities are not getting affected, is apparently on its face contrary to the fact situation", the High Court observed.

It further opined that there seemed to be an attempt to convert the school ground into a permanent place for holding activities like Ramlila, which was not permissible. Calling for the state authorities' counter-affidavit, the High Court restrained the use of the school ground for Ramlila activities. Aggrieved, the petitioner-Coordinator approached the Supreme Court.

Case Title: SHREE NAGAR RAM LILA MAHOTSAV v. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH AND ORS, Diary No.55261/2025