Jagannath Temple Reforms: SC Asks All Sides’ Opinion In Four Weeks

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked all sides to present their opinion on its 12-point proposal for reforms at the Jagannath temple in Puri in four weeks.

A division bench of the court comprising Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri, Justice S. Abdul Nazeer and Mukeshkumar Rasikbhai Shah issued the directive after going through the report submitted by amicus curiae Ranjit Kumar. The court also accepted the Gobardhan Peeth Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati’s application as another party to present his opinion on the reform measures.

The apex court will hear the case on April 2.

On February 27, the amicus curiae submitted a report on reforms at the temple to the apex court for a hearing. However, the hearing was deferred to March 5 as Justice Sikri was unavailable.

During his two-day visit to Puri on February 22 and 23, Kumar held a series of meetings with the Gajapati Maharaja, the district judge, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, Jagannath Temple Managing Committee and the Chhattisa Nijog and expressed satisfaction over the state of affairs at the temple.

Prior to the amicus curiae’s visit, his assistant and senior Supreme Court lawyer Priya Hingorani had arrived on December 20 and had a meeting with the SJTA and the Chhattisa Nijog on the apex court’s 12-point reforms proposal.