In Brief
A Christian man sought the Supreme Court's permission to bury his deceased pastor father in the village graveyard at Chhindwada, where his ancestors and relatives had been buried for decades. The State opposed this, citing lack of a formally designated Christian burial ground in the village and directing burial at a designated site in distant Karkapal village. The Court was divided. One judge would have allowed burial in the appellant's private land with State protection; the other upheld the Karkapal burial ground. Exercising powers under Article 142 to resolve the impasse, the unified order directed burial at Karkapal with full logistical support and police protection, emphasizing the State's duty to designate Christian burial sites throughout the State within two months.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.