New Delhi, July 8: The Supreme Court today stayed demolition of the Jagannath temple in Cuttack city to enable smooth conduct of this year’s rath yatra.

However, the court clarified that it would not permit illegal places of worship such as temples, churches, mosques and gurudwaras at public places.

The bench of Justice R.M. Lodha and Justice S.J. Mukhopadaya had asked the temple management to file within a week an undertaking and affidavit that it would take steps to relocate the temple.

“We are not bothered whether you construct the temple at the state secretariat or some other place with the permission of the government. But, we are clear that there shall not be illegal structures such as temples, churches, mosques or gurudwaras on riverbanks, public places, roads according to our order passed in 2009,” Justice Lodha, heading the bench, observed.

The bench made the observation while granting time to the temple management to scout for alternative land to relocate the temple after it had approached the apex court pleading a stay on the demolition drive being undertaken by the state government in pursuant to the court’s directive of 2009.

The temple authorities had sought stay of the demolition on the ground that the rath yatra in Cuttack that drew thousand of devotees would be severely affected if the structure was to be demolished as the festival would commence on July 10 and conclude on July 25. In September 2009, the apex court had directed all states and Union

Territories to take immediate steps for demolishing all unauthorised places of worship at public places as they were posing serious bottlenecks for traffic and normal public activities.