Damini Priyadarshini And Others vs Sri Jagannath Deb Trustees
2025 Latest Caselaw 10669 Ori

Orissa High Court

Damini Priyadarshini And Others vs Sri Jagannath Deb Trustees on 29 November, 2025

Bench: K.R. Mohapatra, M.S. Raman

Signature Not Verified
Digitally Signed
Signed by: ROJALIN NAYAK
Designation: JUNIOR STENOGRAPHER
Reason: Authentication
Location: HIGH COURT OF ORISSA, CUTTACK
Date: 29-Nov-2025 14:15:01

                                      IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK
                                                      W.P.(C). NO.27957 OF 2025

                                    Damini Priyadarshini and others             ....        Petitioners
                                                     Mr. Surya Prasad Mishra, Senior Advocate
                                                    being assisted by Mr. G.N. Parida, Advocate
                                                             -versus-
                                    Sri Jagannath Deb Trustees, Khurda       ....     Opp. Parties
                                    and others
                                                                     Mr. Sabita Ranjan Pattnaik,
                                                               Additional Government Advocate
                                                                    (For Opp. Party Nos.5 and 6)
                                                                 Ms. Pratyusha Naidu, Advocate
                                                                          (For Opp. Party No.3)
                                              CORAM:
                                               JUSTICE K.R. MOHAPATRA
                                               JUSTICE M.S. RAMAN

                                                            ORDER

            Order No.                                      29.11.2025

               03.             1.         This matter is taken up through hybrid mode.

2. Vide order dated 27th May, 2024, the Assistant Commissioner of Endowments, Odisha, Bhubaneswar in exercise of power under Section 8(2) of the Odisha Hindu Religious Endowments Act, 1951 appointed (i) the Tahasildar, Jatani, (ii) Inspector-in-Charge, Jatani Police Station and (iii) the Medical Officer, CHC, Jatani to manage the affairs of the religious intuition, namely, Sri Jagannath Dev and other deities Bije at Bachhara Patna under Tahasil Jatani in the district of Khurda. The said order has been confirmed by learned Commissioner of Endowments, Odisha Bhubaneswar vide judgment dated 26th June, 2025 dismissing R No.13 of 2024 filed under Section 9 of the Act. Thus, the question arises;

Designation: JUNIOR STENOGRAPHER

Location: HIGH COURT OF ORISSA, CUTTACK Date: 29-Nov-2025 14:15:01

(i) Whether in exercise of power under Section 8(2) of the Act, the Assistant Commissioner of Endowments can appoint an Interim Trust Board in the guise of appointment of fit person and ;

(ii) Whether the power conferred under Section 8(2) of the Act can be exercised by the Assistant Commissioner of Endowments to appoint an Interim Trust Board when the Commissioner of Endowments has the power to appoint an Interim Trust Board under Section 7 of the Act.

3. In the instant case, neither the power under Section 7 nor 27 of the Act appears to have been resorted to. In the meantime, more than one year have elapsed since the date of appointment of an Interim Trust Board of the religious institution.

4. Ms. Naidu, learned counsel for the Commissioner of Endowments prays for an adjournment to take instruction in the matter and address the Court on the next date.

5. Put up this matter on 15th December, 2025.

                                                                     (K.R. Mohapatra)
                                                                           Judge


  Rojalin                                                             (M.S. Raman)
                                                                         Judge