Calcutta High Court eases `no entry` order in Durga Puja pandals: Check what`s allowed

The Calcutta High Court, while hearing the review petition filed by Forum for Durgotsav on the court order making all Durga Puja pandals a ‘no entry zones’, slightly modified the previous order on Wednesday. 

The division bench comprising Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Arijit Banerjee partially relaxed the previous order allowing 60 people in the bigger pandals with only 45 persons present inside the pandal at a time.

For the smaller pandals, 30 people in the pandal will be allowed with 15 persons present inside the pandal at a given time. The pandal will have to display the list every day outside the pandal by 8 am.

“For bigger pandals which will be spread over 300 sq metres, 60 people - comprising puja committee members and locals will be allowed inside, at a time only 45 people can remain present inside. For smaller pandals, 30 people will be allowed inside, at a time only 15 people can remain present inside the pandal. The pandal will have to display the list every day outside the pandal by 8 am,” said Advocate Sabyasachi Chatterjee, the petitioner of the case wherein the court ruled the Durga puja pandals be made into no-entry zones.

This apart, the court said that the ‘Dhakis’ will remain within the buffer zone that stretches between the pandal extremities and the five or ten metres barricades. However, the dhakis will remain in fewer numbers and will have to follow social distancing norms and wear masks.

On the other hand, the court did not relax any bar on 'pushpanjali' and 'sindoor khela'.