Madras High Court dismisses plea seeking direction from authorities to spread public awareness against astrological superstitions

The Madras High Court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking direction from the concerned authorities to increase public awareness against astrological superstitions to eradicate its consequential evils, while opining that some amount of independence must be given to individuals to believe, imagine and ponder over their astrological beliefs.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P.D. Audikesavalu passed this order while hearing a petition filed by A.K. Hemaraj.

The petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India sought the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents concerned to widely spread public awareness about the scientifically proven truth on the subject of astrology and its serious impacts, in all social media, TV, newspapers.

The Court said that the matters of the kind cannot be appropriately dealt with in court. Even science in such regard is not complete or absolute. No sooner was Pluto relegated from the status of a planet, than a distant planet appears to have been discovered that may not have encircled the Sun in the course of the entire duration men have been gazing at the sky. Indeed, there is also much dispute as to whether the planet X, as the distant object is called, was propelled out of the inner solar system or came from a separate solar system and the gravity of the Sun did not let go of it.

The Court further said that the science in respect of the creation of the universe is still in its nascent stage. Not much is yet known of dark matter, not to talk of dark energy and inflation. Though the knowledge in this field, ever since Einstein’s theory of relativity, has increased considerably, there are several unanswered questions and there is no clue as to the reason for the formation of the universe despite space and time being seen on the same platform and the latest telescopes having taken virtual vision to probably the earliest millionth of the approximately 13.8 billion-year lifetime of the known universe.

There are some matters in which exact answers may not be available as the only known intelligent life form in the universe endeavours to grapple with the unknown.

“As much as the Petitioner should be lauded for trying to orient citizens to a more scientific regime and shed superstitious beliefs, the court cannot issue any direction of the kind sought and some amount of independence has to be given to the individual to believe, imagine and ponder over the same,” the Court observed.

At the same time, the State in its parent’s patriae role may evolve a mechanism where citizens may be better informed and evil practices are given up, the Court said. Accordingly, the Court disposed of the Petition

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