Editor's Pick: The question of religious vs economic activities

The Hindu Newsletter - PM-CARES contribution need not be credited to NDRF: Supreme Court [The Hindu Logo]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Youtube]( [Linkedin]( [Instagram]( Saturday 22, August 2020 [alt_text]( Editor's Pick [The question of religious vs economic activities]( [alt_text]( (The Editor's Pick is a new newsletter from The Hindu that provides a snapshot of the most important stories from today's edition of our newspaper, along with a note from our top editors on why we chose to give prominence to these stories.) While giving its order on a petition by some Jain temples in Mumbai on Friday, [the Supreme Court asked States why they were giving priority to economic activities over religious ones](. While the Centre had allowed religious places to operate from June 8 subject to certain guidelines, several States, including Maharashtra, continue to disallow religious congregations. In its order, the Supreme Court allowed the plea of the three Mumbai Jain temples to open for the two days of the Paryushan festival with 5 people at a time and 250 people a day. The court also said it was willing to consider similar allowances for places of worship of all religions. The Supreme Court has stressed that this order is a one-off and does not set a precedent, especially since the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities have started. But it brings the focus back to the question whether religious practices are essential activities. The Hindu, [in our editorial on June 10]( on the reopening of religious places, had argued that all optional activities should be postponed to "a time when there is better disease control, and prevention and treatment courses are available." The larger question that the court has raised, along with the possible wiggle room that the order gives religious organisations to approach courts against State-specific lockdown norms, gives this story its importance. (Since there is no print edition of The Hindu tomorrow, the Editor's Pick newsletter will return on Monday.) The Big Story [Coronavirus | States stopping religious activities alone citing pandemic is strange, says Supreme Court]( [alt_text]( From the Front Page [alt_text]( [9 killed in fire at Telangana’s Srisailam power house unit]( [alt_text]( [Polls during pandemic | Election Commission allows filing nominations online]( From The Opinion Pages [alt_text]( [Differential impact of COVID-19 and the lockdown]( [alt_text]( [Moving resolutely toward the post-pandemic future]( Today's Editorials [Last lap: On Joe Biden]( [Repeal and reform: On Sri Lankan]( You are receiving this email because you are a user of [thehindu.com]( If you do not wish to receive any such emails, [unsubscribe here.](mailto:rm-0b4vht92bf2f90kaup33rtbysa8hky3@newsalert.thehindu.com?subject=Unsubscribe&body=You will be unsubscribed from our mailing list.) To ensure you continue to receive emails from The Hindu in your inbox, please add newsletters.th@newsalert.thehindu.com to your contact. If you can't see the mailer, please [click here.]( Group Sites [The Hindu]( | [இந்து தமிழ் திசை]( | [Business Line]( | [BL on Campus]( | [Sportstar]( | [Frontline]( | [The Hindu Centre]( | [Images]( | [roofandfloor]( | [Classifieds]( Copyright @ 2020 ,THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. [About Us]( | [Contact Us]( | [Digital Subscription](