Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Thursday directed the state government to file a counter on the sale of Bagala Dharmasala land in Puri.
Apart from the affidavit of the state government, the court will also hear the other petitions on this matter on November 2.
Senior High Court lawyer Pitambara Acharya had filed a writ petition on behalf of his client BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patro. As per the petition, the state government had illegally sold the land to the owners of demolished lodges within 75-metre radius of the Jagannath temple. The lodges were demolished by the district administration as part of beautification drive around the temple.
The petitioner maintained that the state government has no right to sell the land which solely belongs to Lord Jagannath. “As the Jagannath Temple Managing Committee is the final authority to take a decision on the Bagala Dharmasala land, the state government has no right to take any decision on the sale of the land,” he pointed out.
