UP seeks SC nod to manage 8 Mathura temples

The Uttar Pradesh Government has sought the Supreme Court’s permission to take over the management of eight temples in Mathura — currently managed by court-appointed advocates acting as receivers — while civil suits regarding the temples remain pending.

“We request your Lordships to issue directions to expedite the civil proceedings and allow a locally connected expert body to manage the temples in the interim,” senior counsel Navin Pahwa told a Bench comprising Justice Bela Trivedi and Justice SC Sharma on behalf of the state government.

Ishwar Chanda Sharma, who had been appointed by a Mathura court as a receiver for one of the temples, saw his appointment set aside by the Allahabad High Court. The Supreme Court had, in December 2024, expressed concerns over the appointment of advocates as receivers for temples.

Stating that the state recently enacted legislation aimed at protecting and preserving Mathura’s temple heritage, Pahwa emphasised the importance of having a dedicated body of experts with no vested interests to ensure smooth temple operations until the legal disputes are resolved.

“We must ensure that this body of experts — comprising local individuals whose sole interest is to administer the temple holistically — is permitted to run the temples until the civil proceedings are finally concluded,” he submitted.

Pahwa highlighted the example of the main temple, Shri Banke Bihari Temple, established in 1864. “Although it covers only 500 square yards, it attracts a massive footfall. Every day, between 40,000 and 50,000 devotees visit on weekdays, the number swells to between 150,000 and 200,000 on weekends, and during festivals, it exceeds 500,000. The total area of the temple is 1,200 sqft,” he said.

Noting that the temples receive significant funds from devotees, Pahwa stressed the need for competent receivers to manage finances and operations responsibly until the legal matters are settled.