The hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa in Kerala's Sabarimala was on November 15 for annual 2-month pilgrimage.
The government in Kerala - hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic and apprehensive about the spread of new mutant strain from UK in the state - has moved the Supreme Court against the High Court's order increasing the number of pilgrims at Sabarimala temple during the ongoing pilgrimage to 5,000.
The Kerala government wants the number restricted to 2,000 per day and 3000 on weekends due to COVID-19.
In its appeal in the top court, the Kerala government has said its high-level panel had capped number of visitors to Sabarimala temple based on a Health Ministry advisory.
"With the new Covid virus strain detected in the United Kingdom and (coronavirus) restrictions put by the Centre, it is not possible to increase the number of pilgrims. The High Court, without considering the state panel report, ordered that number of pilgrims be increased to 5,000," it states.
"The pilgrims and the police personnel controlling the queue to the temple are tested for COVID and the increase in number will put the police and health ministry officials in great strain and difficulty," the state has told the Supreme Court in its plea.
Last week, while hearing a bunch of pleas, the High Court had increased the number of people allowed at the temple, while asking the state to replace the Rapid Antigen Tests with more reliable but comparatively expensive RT-PCR tests.
The state has now challenged the Kerala High Court's December 18 order, stating it would increase the risk of contracting COVID-19 despite mandatory RT-PCR test done no longer than 48 hours ago.
In October, the state government, along with the Travencore Devaswon Board (TDB), had decided to reopen Sabarimala Temple for devotees the first time this year starting November 15.
However, in view of the pandemic, the number of devotees allowed was restricted to 1,000 a day, and 2,000 on weekends. The entry is managed through a virtual queue system for which one has to register.
The government has also taken a slew of safety measures including strict mask wearing, compulsory testing at base camps, health certificates.
In the years before the pandemic, thousands of people would visit Sabarimala during the two-month-long pilgrimage. However, this year, in view of COVID-19, the government had restricted this number to approximately 85,000.
The decision was taken by a high-level panel in the backdrop of Kerala - which had successfully checked infections in the first wave - consistently reporting among the highest daily Covid cases in India since August. The infection surge was seen ahead of Onam and in view of campaigning for local body elections that ended recently.
Kerala is India's worst-hit state in terms of active Covid cases - 62,974 - fifth in overall numbers - 7.21 lakh - but it also has among the lowest deaths at 2,892 so far.