On Monday, in a significant development in the ongoing dispute over temple governance, the Supreme Court refused to alter the existing oversight mechanism supervising the Shri Bankey Bihari Temple, while postponing the hearing by two weeks. The order assumes importance as it preserves the current administrative control under judicial watch, even as serious objections continue over alleged interference with traditional religious practices.
The matter arose from challenges to the Uttar Pradesh Shri Bankey Bihari Ji Temple Trust Ordinance, 2025, under which a 12-member high-powered committee, headed by a former High Court judge, has been tasked with managing temple affairs. Temple sevayats have strongly opposed recent changes, including revised darshan timings, discontinuation of the Dehri Pooja ritual, and introduction of charges for certain traditional offerings like Phool Bangla. According to them, these measures disrupt long-standing customs intrinsically linked to the temple’s religious framework, particularly rituals tied to the daily and seasonal schedule of the deity. The administration, however, has defended the committee’s role, asserting that its actions remain within the bounds of court-directed governance and are not intended to dilute essential practices.
The Bench, led by the Chief Justice of India, took note of the status report filed by the oversight committee and granted the petitioners time to file their response, observing that the report had been furnished only a day earlier. Significantly, the Court declined any immediate intervention in the structure of the committee, stating that it was “not inclined to introduce any structural changes” at this stage. It also issued a notice on a miscellaneous application seeking clarifications on certain factual aspects of the committee’s functioning. While concerns were raised regarding the committee’s decisions impacting rituals, the Court chose to maintain continuity in the administrative framework for now, allowing the committee to continue functioning under its supervision.
The matter has been listed for further consideration after two weeks.
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