india

Updated: Nov 05, 2019 11:36 IST

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Orissa government to depute a chief administrator for managing the affairs of ancient Shri Jagannath Temple at Puri and passed a slew of directions for enabling peaceful ‘darshan’ by devotees and providing amenities for them.

A bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra said “considering the overall situation and the facts, we direct the State Government to depute full time Chief Administrator, not by way of additional charge forthwith”.

More than a year after the Supreme Court mooted a dozen proposals to reform workings of the 12th century temple, the court on Monday recommended 22 new proposals, including accommodation facility for 60,000 pilgrims and building schools and colleges for children of temple servitors, but warned that no one has the right to obstruct the rituals of the deity.

Taking severe exceptions to the behaviour of a servitor in December last year when he locked up the sanctum sanctorum from inside and did not open it till late afternoon alleging misbehaviour by the police, the apex court said it was unpardonable. “There is absolutely no right with anyone to delay the opening of the Temple for even a minute. There was total maladministration and chaos writ large from the aforesaid incident. There is no disciplinary control available,” a three-judge bench of SC headed by justice Arun Mishra said while asking the temple’s chief administrator to take appropriate steps against such servitors.

The apex court’s interim order came following a public interest litigation by Odisha-based lawyer Mrinalini Padhi to direct an investigation/enquiry into the disappearance of the keys to the Ratna Bhandar of the Shri Jagannath Temple, Puri. It has also been prayed that an inventory of the valuables stored at the Ratna Bhandar of Shri Jagannath Temple, Puri be taken and to direct appointment of an expert committee to submit a report to this Court for preservation and management of property and valuables of Shri Jagannath Temple.

Referring to the suggestions by Puri Shankaracharya, the apex court said the temple managing committee should ensure that the temple rituals are performed as per Record of Rights, nitis and puja every day.

The court kept the next date of hearing to January 4, 2020.