No height bar on Dahi Handi pyramids but it’s not for under-14 kids

In a relief to the Govinda Pathaks, the Bombay High Court on Monday refused to regulate the height restrictions on human pyramids made for celebrations of Dahi Handi. The HC however, accepted the Maharashtra government’s statement that it would not allow children below 14 years age, to participate in the festival.

This comes in contradiction to the HC’s 2014 order wherein it had strictly set 20 feet as height for human pyramids. The HC then, had also asked the Govinda Pathaks not to allow children below 18 years age to participate in the festival.

A Division Bench of Justice Bhushan Gavai and Justice Makarand Karnik held that the court cannot impose restrictions on the height of human pyramids or the age of participants. The judges were of the view that it is exclusively in the domain of the state legislature to limit the heights or the age.

The judges said, “This court cannot impose any restrictions on the age of the participants and neither can we decide on the height of the human pyramids.

“This exclusively falls under the domain of the state legislature and we are of the view that the government has to take a call on the same.”

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the judges that the government has declared Dahi Handi as an “adventure sport”. He also said as per the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, the government has decided not to allow children below 14 years age to participate in the festival.