Advocate Akash Vashishtha, representing the petitioner, argued there is some Standard Operating Procedure required as there are 12 Jyotirlingas and this completely arbitrary practice of “VIP darshan”.The top court was hearing a plea filed by Vijay Kishor Goswami, ‘sevait’ at Shri Radha Madan Mohan Temple in Vrindavan, on the issue.The plea said the practice violated the principles of equality enshrined in Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution, as it discriminated against devotees unable to afford the fee.The petition also raised several concerns about the additional fee charged for an expedited access to temple deities.The plea said charging fee ranging between Rs 400 and Rs 500 for the special darshan privileges created a divide between the affluent devotees and those who were unable to afford such charges, particularly disadvantaged women, persons with disabilities, and senior citizens.
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