New Delhi, Sept. 19 -- The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed an appeal filed against the Karnataka High Court's order upholding the decision of the state government to invite Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the state-sponsored Dasara Mahotsav at the Chamundeshwari temple, Mysuru.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta dismissed the matter, saying our preamble says we are secular, and this is a state programme, and the state can't distinguish.

The advocate for the petitioner contended that Puja inside the temple is not a secular act and it's part of the ceremony. He said the Karnataka government's decision to allow a non-Hindu to perform 'Agra Puja' at the Chamundeshwari temple for the inauguration of Dasara in ...