Mangalore : The Supreme Court has vacated the stay on the proposal of the State government to modify made snana — the controversial ritual of rolling over plantain leaves with leftovers of food partaken by Brahmins — that is practised at the Kukke Subrahmanya temple in Dakshina Kannada.

In its November 8, 2012 judgment, the High Court had agreed to the State government’s decision to allow ‘ede snana’, wherein, devotees can roll over food that is “offered” to the deity of the temple. The State government sought to prohibit serving food to Brahmins or anybody else in the outer yard on the day the ritual is held.

Immediately after the judgment, Bhaskara Bendodi, a worker at the temple and the president of the Adivasi Budakattu Hitarakshana Vedike- Karnataka, had filed a special leave petition before the Supreme Court, following which the stay was granted. He claimed that the group had not been heard by the High Court before modifying the ritual, and that the modified ritual was against the traditions practised at the temple.

While disposing of the group’s special leave petition as withdrawn, the Supreme Court, in an order on September 22, allowed them to approach the High Court with a review petition that “should be viewed on its merits”. It requested the High Court not to raise the ground of limitation in case a review petition is filed by the petitioner.

On December 7, 2012, the Supreme Court had issued an interim order staying the orders of the Karnataka High Court. With the stay in force, the controversial ritual was conducted by temple authorities in two successive years amidst protests by numerous groups.