The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned proceedings in the matter concerning its interim stay on parts of the Uttar Pradesh Shri Bankey Bihari Ji Temple Trust Ordinance, 2025, while declining to alter the existing oversight mechanism governing temple administration.
A Bench led by the Chief Justice of India granted two weeks’ time to the petitioners to respond to a status report filed by the high-powered committee, noting that the report had been served only the previous night. The Court also issued notice in a Miscellaneous Application seeking certain modifications and clarifications on factual aspects.
During the hearing, concerns were raised regarding the manner in which the high-powered committee has exercised its powers, particularly in relation to temple rituals and practices. The petitioners have challenged changes in darshan timings, discontinuation of the Dehri Pooja ritual, and imposition of charges on traditional services such as Phool Bangla, contending that these measures interfere with essential religious practices.
It was submitted that the temple has historically followed distinct seasonal darshan schedules closely linked to internal rituals, including the waking and resting of the deity. The petitioners further argued that the discontinuation of the Dehri Pooja, an age-old practice performed by Goswamis as part of the Guru–Shishya tradition was unjustified, particularly as it is conducted when the temple remains closed to the public.
The Court, however, indicated that it was not inclined to introduce any structural changes to the existing arrangement under which a 12-member high-powered committee, headed by a former Allahabad High Court judge, is overseeing temple operations.
Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj submitted that the committee would act strictly in accordance with the Court’s directions and would not adopt an adversarial stance.
The matter is now likely to be taken up after two weeks.
The Petitioners/temple Sevayats are represented through Senior Advocate Shyam Divan and Advocate-on-Record Tanvi Dubey.