Supreme Court questions UP’s hurry to take over Banke Bihari temple

Questioning the tearing hurry in promulgating an ordinance to take over the management of the Banke Bihari temple, the Supreme Court on Monday said it would keep in abeyance its May 15 nod to the Shri Banke Bihari Temple Corridor at Vrindavan in Mathura as the main stakeholders were not heard.

“Lord Krishna was the first mediator… Please try to mediate the matter,” a Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said as it disapproved of the state government’s approach in moving the SC in a “clandestine” manner.

It questioned the clandestine manner in which the UP Government secured the top court’s permission to use temple funds for the corridor development project and then promulgated the Shri Banke Bihari Ji Temple Trust Ordinance, 2025, to transfer the control and administration of the temple to the state.

To consider plea against Bodh Gaya Temple Act

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider a petition challenging the validity of the Bodh Gaya Temple Act, 1949, and seeking to replace it with a central law for proper management and administration of Mahabodhi Temple in Bihar. TNS

The Bench said it would appoint a committee headed by a retired high court or district judge to manage the affairs of the temple in the interest of lakhs of devotees, besides including the main stakeholders in the managing committee.

“If the state wanted to carry out any development, what prevented it from doing it as per law? Whether the land is private or not, it cannot be adjudicated by a court. The state is coming in a clandestine manner, not allowing them to be heard. We don’t expect this,” it said while hearing petitions filed by the Banke Bihari temple management.