The Supreme Court today stayed Rajasthan High Court's order declaring Santhara, a Jain ritual of voluntary and systematic fasting to death, as a criminal offence and issued a notice to Centre and the Rajasthan government.<br/><br/>Earlier this month, the Rajasthan High Court had banned Santhara making it punishable under section 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code.<br/><br/>The court, which had last reserved its judgment after the completion of arguments on April 23, declared that "Santhara is illegal in the eyes of law".<br/><br/>The ban on the Jain ritual came after a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by human rights activist and advocate Nikhil Soni a decade ago.<br/><br/>The activist claimed the ritual is a social evil and should be considered as suicide.<br/><br/>Thousands of Jains had held a 'silent march' to protest the Rajasthan High Court judgement banning the religious ritual of fast unto death.<br/><br/>Members of both Shwetambar and Digambar sects participated in marches which were held in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradhesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Assam and other states.<br/><br/>July had refused to interfere with the prohibitory order imposed on him and his associates by the state police.<br/><br/>slim Brotherhood had swept Egypt's last legislative vote in late 2011.

Supreme Court today stayed Rajasthan High Court decision declaring 'Santhara' ritual or fast unto death as illegal on pleas of Jain community bodies against the order.<br/><br/>The High Court earlier this month made Santhara punishable under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.<br/><br/>In its order, the Court had said that Santhara cannot be termed as humane and is in violation of the basic human rights.