High court reserves judgment on row over photographers in Konark temple

Cuttack: Orissa high court on Thursday reserved judgment on the row over photographers at Konark Sun Temple after the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) fixed matriculation as minimum qualification to operate at the 13th century monument, which is also a world heritage site.
Initially, photographers who had been issued licence by the ASI had moved the high court in 2015 with grievance that unchecked photography at the Sun Temple was adversely affecting their livelihood.While disposing of the petition on January 5, 2022, a single judge bench had ordered, “It follows that apart from tourists, only those who have valid licence for purpose of conducting photography in precincts of protected monuments are to be allowed to enter.”
But the matter returned to the HC after an appeal was filed with the ASI adopting a policy under which it issued licence only to those photographers who fulfilled the minimum matriculation qualification criteria. The ASI had issued licenses to only 10 candidates who fulfilled the criteria. But the appeal claimed the policy affected the livelihood of 154 photographers who had been operating inside the temple for decades.