The Supreme Court, on April 4, allowed the Jharkhand Government to temporarily shut down the power supply during Ram Navami processions to prevent accidental electrocution caused by people carrying long poles and flags.
The decision came after the Jharkhand High Court, in a suo motu order, had directed the state to avoid power cuts during festivals. The state government challenged this order in the Supreme Court.
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A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan modified the High Court’s ruling. The Supreme Court allowed power cuts but limited them strictly to the routes of the Ram Navami processions.
The court further directed that:
- Power supply to hospitals must remain uninterrupted despite planned cuts.
- The Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (JBVNL) must submit an affidavit before the High Court, confirming that power cuts will be minimal and will not affect essential services.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the state, argued that Jharkhand has been following this festival-specific power-cut policy for over 20 years. The main reason is to prevent electrocution, as several people carry long flags and poles during processions.
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The Supreme Court acknowledged this concern and allowed the government to continue the practice but with restrictions to avoid excessive disruptions.
The case was brought before CJI Sanjiv Khanna as an urgent matter, given the upcoming Ram Navami celebrations. The Chief Justice agreed to hear it immediately due to its time-sensitive nature.
Earlier, the Jharkhand High Court had directed JBVNL not to impose long power cuts during festivals unless an extreme emergency such as severe weather required it.
The order was passed by a bench led by Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Deepak Roshan. The court had raised concerns over long power outages lasting 5-10 hours, particularly during the Sarhul Festival on April 1, when power was cut from 1 PM to 11 PM.
The High Court noted that such prolonged power cuts have serious consequences, particularly for:
- Senior citizens and people with health conditions
- Students preparing for exams
- Pregnant women
- Businesses that depend on continuous power supply
- Hospitals and emergency services
"Electricity supply is an essential service in today’s world."
"As the hot summer season has started, stoppage of electricity supply by JBVNL affects the lives of residents of the city, more so that of old people, sick people, young children, pregnant women, and students studying for exams. Businesses also need to shut down, causing loss of revenue. It will also affect treatment of patients in private and public hospitals."
The Jharkhand High Court also directed authorities to ensure that organizers of festival processions do not carry excessively long poles or flags, which could lead to accidental electrocution.
"The State authorities, which grant permission for such processions, must fix an appropriate height/length for poles and flags so that they do not come into contact with electrical wires laid by JBVNL."
To enforce this:
- The state must immediately set limits on the height and length of poles and flags that can be carried in processions.
- All procession organizers must be notified of these new rules.
- Authorities must ensure strict compliance with these safety measures.
Additionally, JBVNL was instructed not to implement power cuts as it did on April 1, 2025, unless a serious emergency like extreme weather necessitated it.
