Supreme Court Dismisses Plea Challenging Karnataka Govt's Invite To Booker Prize Winner Banu Mushtaq For Dasara Festival

The Supreme Court today dismissed a plea challenging the Karnataka High Court order which approved the decision of the State Government to invite Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq as the Chief Guest for Dasara festival celebration inauguration at Chamundi temple, Mysuru.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta dismissed the matter after a brief hearing.

Senior Advocate PB Suresh, for the petitioner, submitted that  a non-Hindu person cannot be allowed to perform the pujas. Justice Nath then pronounced, "Dismissed." 

Suresh then submitted that puja inside a temple cannot be regarded as a secular act. "It's purely political...no reason why they should be brought inside temple for religious activity...,"he said. Justice Nath then repeated, "Dismissed."

The senior counsel, undeterred, further alleged that the invitee had made certain objectionable remarks in the past hurting religious sentiments and said that such a person cannot be invited. Justice Nath repeated that the matter has been dismissed.

"We have said 'dismissed' 3 times. How many dismissals are required?" Justice Nath commented.

Yesterday, urgent listing of the matter was sought, pointing out that the event is scheduled for September 22. CJI BR Gavai agreed to list it today.

To recap, on September 15, the Karnataka High Court dismissed petitions challenging the State's decision to invite Banu Mushtaq, whose anthology in the Kannada language, published in English as "Heart Lamp", won the International Booker Prize award last May.

“Participation of a person practising a particular faith or religion, in celebrations of festivals of other religion does not offend the rights available under the Constitution of India,” the High Court said.

It was observed that invitation of Banu Mushtaq did not violate any of the Constitutional values. The High Court noted that she was an accomplished author, a lawyer and a social activist.

The petitioners had argued that it would not be appropriate for Banu to participate in Hindu religious rituals, including lighting of a sacred lamp, offering fruits and flowers to the deity and chanting Vedic prayers. Such practices can only be performed by a Hindu, they said.

The State, on the other hand, submitted that the function is organized by the State, not by any temple or religious institution. As such, there can be no discrimination on the ground of religion.

The High Court noted that undisputedly, festivities are organized by the State every year and accomplished persons like scientists, educationists, authors and freedom fighters have been invited in the past.

It also observed that the decision to invite Mushtaq was taken by a Committee that comprised of elected representatives from various parties and various Government officials. It thus concluded,

"we are unable to accept that any legal or constitutional right of the petitioners is violated by extending the invitation to respondent No.4 to inaugurate the State sponsored Dasara festivities. In our view, the extension of invitation to respondent No.4 does not fall foul of any of the values enshrined in the Constitution of India.”

The Court added, "no right of any religious denomination or any Section thereon has been curtailed or restricted. None of the persons managing any religious denomination have come forward to claim that their right to maintain their institutions for religious and charitable purposes is being violated.”

Appearance: Senior Advocate PB Suresh; AoR Nidhi Sahay; Advocates Vipin Nair, Sughosh Subramanyam, Deeksha Gupta, Pushpita Basak, MB Ramya and Aditya Narendranath (for petitioner) 

Case Title: H.S. GAURAV Versus THE STATE OF KARNATAKA AND ORS., SLP(C) No. 26999/2025