Mumbai, April 28 (PTI): Astrology is an ancient “science” and cannot be banned, the Centre has told Bombay High Court and described the demand to outlaw astrology and vastu-shastra as “totally misconceived”.

The stand has been mentioned in an affidavit, filed in reply to a PIL, by R. Ramkrishna, deputy drugs controller, Government of India. The affidavit says the requested “ban on astrology and related sciences, which is a time-tested science more than 4,000 years old, is totally misconceived and unjustifiable”.

The affidavit relies on a Supreme Court judgment that says the introduction of a course in astrology does not militate against the concept of secularism enshrined in the Constitution.