Mahendra Kumar Mehta v. State of Rajasthan & Ors.

[2026:RJ-JD:42959-DB]

HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN AT JODHPUR

D.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 21427/2026
CNR: RJHC010898652026 | URN: CW / 36478U / 2026

Mahendra Kumar Mehta ----Petitioner
Versus
The State of Rajasthan, through Chief Secretary; Divisional Commissioner, Jodhpur Division; Inspector General of Police, Jodhpur Range; District Collector and Magistrate, Jaisalmer; District Collector and Magistrate, Jodhpur; Superintendent of Police, Jaisalmer; Commissioner of Police, Metropolitan, Jodhpur; Director, Medical and Health Services, Rajasthan; Principal Secretary, Medical and Health Department, Rajasthan ----Respondents

For Petitioner(s): Mr. Ashok Changani
For Respondent(s): Mr. N. S. Rajpurohit, AAG; Mr. B. L. Bhati, AAG

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MUNNURI LAXMAN
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE CHANDRA SHEKHAR SHARMA

Order

07/09/2026

[NyayVidhan notes: (1) the order has no paragraph numbers; the numbers 1-5 are NyayVidhan's own, added for reference, and the directions (1)-(4) are the Court's. (2) The petitioner's address in the cause title is omitted here.]

1. The present writ petition has been filed in the nature of public interest litigation seeking directions to the public authorities to create basic infrastructure facilities viz. sanitation (including toilets), law and order and medical healthcare for the devotees who are visiting the Ramdevra Temple in Jaisalmer District. The grievance of the petitioner is that from 21st of last month to this month, the devotees congregates at Ramdevra Temple. On account of heavy inflow, the devotees are not getting any basic facilities of sanitation, Medical Healthcare and law and order, resulting in chaos near the temple's way causing various problems to the devotees. His main grievance is that the basic needs of sanitation, healthcare and law and order is required to be provided by the State and the State is not creating sufficient infrastructure facilities to meet the needs of the number of devotees visiting the temple daily.

2. Learned counsel appearing for the respondent on notice submits that there are certain basic facilities already provided near the temple and on account of excess inflow, the authorities are also taking steps to meet the requirements of the devotees.

3. The grievance of the petitioner is that the daily inflow of the devotees in the temple are in the range of 2-3 lakhs and the congregation of more devotees are within the range of 1-2 KM of the temple where sufficient sanitation facilities are required to be maintained, otherwise it would lead to various diseases, resulting in violation of the Fundamental Right to Life. However, the healthcare, law and order are required to be taken care of by the State. The State is under obligation to take appropriate steps to prevent any untowards incidents like stampede and spread of contagious diseases due to visit of more number of devotees in co-ordination with various agencies/institutions so as to meet the above requirements, we are proposing to create a Committee to oversee the arrangement in co-ordination with the Trust which is maintaining the temple.

4. Thus, we are inclined to dispose of the writ petition with the following directions:- (1) A Committee under the Chairmanship of Divisional Commissioner, Jodhpur with the Members i.e. District Collector Jaisalmer, District Superintendent of Police Jaisalmer, Chief Medical and Health Officer, Jaisalmer and the chairman of the private Trust is constituted, (2) The said committee has to see to the requirements of the devotees, particularly sanitation, Medical Healthcare and law and order and take necessary steps to create the above basic infrastructure facilities during the period of one month or till the crowd of devotees is reduced. (3) The State shall extend the support to the committee in creating necessary infrastructure. (4) The committee shall immediately convene and take necessary steps forthwith. The decision shall be taken as expeditiously as possible which shall not exceed one week from today.

5. A copy of this order be further directed to be circulated to the Divisional Commissioner Jodhpur.

(CHANDRA SHEKHAR SHARMA),J
(MUNNURI LAXMAN),J