Supreme Court New Delhi: Supreme Court has put an interim stay on the exhumation of bodies of tribal Christians in certain Chhattisgarh villages for their relocation to the religious community’s designated graveyards, as an NGO said this act violates the fundamental rights of local Christians to be buried in their villages. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta agreed on Wednesday to hear a petition by the NGO – Chhattisgarh Association for Justice and Equality – after senior advocate Colin Gonsalves cited SC’s split verdict on a plea seeking burial of a pastor’s body in his village or his agricultural field. While one judge had permitted the petitioner to bury his father’s body in his private land, the other judge had said no citizen had an unqualified right to choose the place of burial. After the split decision in Jan last year, the bench had directed burial of the body at a designated burial ground 25-30 km from the village in Chhattisgarh. After hearing Gonsalves, Justices Nath and Mehta sought response from the Chhattisgarh govt to the PIL and ordered that no further exhumation of bodies would be permitted.Gonsalves accused the state govt of misusing the split verdict to stop burial of tribal Christians at places within a village’s precincts. The senior advocate said the court must intervene to direct that irrespective of religion, caste or status, every dead person has a right to burial at demarcated places in his/her village.The petitioner said the authorities should be directed to demarcate such land for burial in those villages which do not have designated burial grounds.Interestingly, the bench of Justices Nath and Mehta on Monday had refused to entertain a petition challenging the Oct 28, 2025 order of the Chhattisgarh high court asking the petitioners to approach statutory authority on their grievances against gram sabhas which have put up hoardings barring entry of Christian pastors and priests purportedly to prevent conversion through allurement.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos”Will Simplify Visas And Admin”: Macron’s Big Announcement For Indian StGalgotias University Turns A Robodog Into National Embarrassment, Thrown Out Of AI Summit”Don’t Want To Be Dependent On US Or China…” Macron On AI Innovation’Proud Moment For Humanity!’ Social Media Roasts Galgotias University, China Reacts To Robo Dog Row’India A Major Global Talent Hub’: Says Jaishankar At European Legal Gateway Office LaunchSundar Pichai Unveils ‘India-America Connect’ to Power Massive Subsea Cable ExpansionCCTV Captures Delhi Teen’s Speeding SUV Seconds Before Fatal Dwarka CrashIndia to Add $26 Trillion to Economy, Negotiating FTAs from Strength: Piyush Goyal’Can’t Wait For Trump To Go’: Hillary Clinton Hails India, Pushes Others For Climate Change MovesUS Panel Asks If Trump Needs To Cut Ties With Pakistan To Make India Happy. Here’s What Experts Said123PhotostoriesHow to make Aloo Tikki Chaat at homeNithya Menen birthday special: From ‘Thiruchitrambalam’ to ‘Ishq’ – Films to watch on OTT5 snake-related paintings and symbols that are believed to remove negativityExclusive – Elvish Yadav opens up about hosting Engaged Season 2, shares his take on love and confirms he will get married soon10 vegetarian koftas to make your meals extra deliciousFrom Daulat Ki Chaat to Bhutte Ka Kees: 8 rare Indian dishes the world needs to try5 famous embroideries India gifted to the world5 real estate hotspots in Lucknow driving the residential market in 20265 things foreign tourists secretly dislike about travelling in India6 luxury cars with interiors that feel like five-star lounges123Hot PicksCigarette price hikeGold rate todayITC shareMadhya Pradesh budget 2026–27Income Tax CalculatorPublic holidays February 2026Bank Holidays februaryTop TrendingRashee Rice LawsuitLarry WheelsRampage JacksonPatrick MahomesSidney Crosby GirlfriendLindsey VonnLogan PaulMick CroninNBA Trade NewsFortnite V39 50 Update Release Time
New Delhi: Supreme Court has put an interim stay on the exhumation of bodies of tribal Christians in certain Chhattisgarh villages for their relocation to the religious community’s designated graveyards, as an NGO said this act violates the fundamental rights of local Christians to be buried in their villages. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta agreed on Wednesday to hear a petition by the NGO – Chhattisgarh Association for Justice and Equality – after senior advocate Colin Gonsalves cited SC’s split verdict on a plea seeking burial of a pastor’s body in his village or his agricultural field. While one judge had permitted the petitioner to bury his father’s body in his private land, the other judge had said no citizen had an unqualified right to choose the place of burial. After the split decision in Jan last year, the bench had directed burial of the body at a designated burial ground 25-30 km from the village in Chhattisgarh. After hearing Gonsalves, Justices Nath and Mehta sought response from the Chhattisgarh govt to the PIL and ordered that no further exhumation of bodies would be permitted.Gonsalves accused the state govt of misusing the split verdict to stop burial of tribal Christians at places within a village’s precincts. The senior advocate said the court must intervene to direct that irrespective of religion, caste or status, every dead person has a right to burial at demarcated places in his/her village.The petitioner said the authorities should be directed to demarcate such land for burial in those villages which do not have designated burial grounds.Interestingly, the bench of Justices Nath and Mehta on Monday had refused to entertain a petition challenging the Oct 28, 2025 order of the Chhattisgarh high court asking the petitioners to approach statutory authority on their grievances against gram sabhas which have put up hoardings barring entry of Christian pastors and priests purportedly to prevent conversion through allurement.
