Kerala High Court Limits Sabarimala Devotees to 90,000 per Day, Issues Guidelines
The Kerala High Court has intervened in the Sabarimala pilgrimage rush, instructing the Director General of Police (DGP) to closely monitor the situation and limit the number of devotees visiting the temple to 90,000 per day. This cap includes 80,000 through virtual queue booking and 10,000 through spot booking. The court’s instructions are based on a report from the Special Commissioner. The police have been directed to ensure that individuals without a booking are not allowed to pass from Pampa to Sannidhanam. Additionally, if restrictions are imposed at Sabarimala, announcements should be made at Erumely and Nilakkal to inform pilgrims.
The court emphasized the need for daily reviews of spot bookings and virtual queue bookings. If virtual queue bookings decrease, more pilgrims can be allowed through spot bookings. The court also suggested shifting pilgrims returning after darshan from Pampa, with vacant buses from Nilakkal brought in for this purpose. These directives aim to manage the rush at Sabarimala during the ongoing pilgrimage season. The court will continue to hear related pleas, including concerns raised by a devotee named Sasikumar regarding the pilgrimage rush. The instructions cover various aspects, including cleanliness, identification of staff and volunteers, communication of restrictions, and provision of facilities for stranded pilgrims. The police deployment has been organized across different sectors to manage the crowd during the pilgrimage.
