A 3-judge bench of supreme court comprising of Justice A.R. Dave, Justice Uday Lalit and Justice LN Rao has rejected the fresh plea for removing cap of 20 feet on the height of human pyramid in petition giving its judgment on 24.08.2016. After Apex court’s decision on 17th August 2016, a fresh plea was filed by Mumbai based Jai Jawan Krida Mandal Govinda Pathak in Maharashtra, (who organizes Dahi Handi festival), in the SC to remove the limitation of 20 feet on the height of the human pyramids.
Dahi handi festival is organised in India on the occasion of Janmashtami. Thousands of people all over India celebrate this festival, where people form human pyramids which are several feet in height, they try to reach the top of the pyramid to break the earthen pot filled with butter milk and dahi, hung at the top with a rope and earn prizes announced by the respective organizers, risking their lives.
On 17th August 2016 the supreme Court has shown its concern about the safety of young govindas, barring those below 18 years from participating in this competition and the height of the human pyramid for it cannot exceed 20 feet, a limit fixed by the Bombay High Court.
The Apex court has taken this view as the youngsters are risking their lives by climbing on the human pyramids to the height of nine stories and sometimes even 40 feet height, without any safety precautions and measures in the event of their fall from such height. There have been several cases of fatal accidents during this festival from all over the country, which has led to the Child Rights Commission frame safety guidelines in February 2014.
Apex court has also asked the Maharashtra government to legislate in this matter so as to ensure safety of the participants.
