Puri: The Orissa High Court has pronounced a major verdict about 15 acres of disputed land belonging to Puri Jagannath Temple, located in Jatani’s Kantia Mouza in Khurda district.
The High Court has issued a directive to the Odisha government, stressing the need to formulate clear and comprehensive guidelines governing the sale, lease, transfer, and mutation of properties belonging to the temple. The ruling was passed by a division bench led by Justice S K Panigrahi while hearing a case related to disputes involving the assets of the revered temple.
In response to the judgement, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Sunday pledged full compliance with the High Court’s directive.
The temple administration vowed to enforce the HC directives regarding management of the Jagannath temple land. The SJTA showed keenness in maintaining transparency while protecting the temple’s land. It stressed that no individual or institution with vested or exploitative interests will be allowed to compromise these efforts.
The SJTA asserted that no vested interests or institutional greed will ever be tolerated as the state government seeks to maintain transparency and fairness in protection of the Lords’ property.
The High Court delivered explicit instructions concerning the sale, lease, or transfer of temple property. It stressed the importance of safeguarding Lord Jagannath’s assets and instructed the State government to implement effective measures accordingly. A particular directive highlights the need to digitise temple records, including the mutation (recording) and transfer of temple property.
Advocate General Pitambar Acharya represented the temple administration in the HC. He affirmed that immediate actions would be undertaken by revenue and land record authorities to accurately document the landed properties under Puri Jagannath’s ownership, referring to relevant legal and historical contexts.
Any amendments to land records or mutations conflicting with legal requirements or the Court’s decision will be dismissed. In reviewing Section 16(2), authorities aim to rectify any unauthorised transactions and anomalies with temple property.
