Manjula made it clear that it would be sufficient for the authorities concerned to subject all devotees to thermal screening and then conduct a rapid test only on those having high temperature. Accordingly, the team met on December 24 and decided to insist upon COVID-19 test results from all devotees as was being done in Sabarimala. Aggrieved against such insistence, a third party had preferred the appeal on the ground that it would be highly impossible to obtain the test results at the eleventh hour. Rajagopalan, appearing for the appellant, the Division Bench passed an interim order clarifying that it would not be necessary for all devotees to produce test results. It kept the appeal pending and directed the respondents to file their counter by January 6.

Source: The Hindu December 26, 2020 19:55 UTC