The Supreme Court has taken serious note of a petition filed by the sevayat (priest-caretaker) of the Maa Chandi Devi Temple in Haridwar and issued a notice to the Uttarakhand government. The petition challenges the High Court’s order that handed over the temple’s management to the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee and appointed a receiver, despite no formal complaint or evidence being presented.
A bench comprising Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and SVN Bhatti clarified that any action taken by the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee would be subject to the outcome of the petition. The court directed the state government to respond within two weeks.
Senior advocate Siddharth Dave and advocate Ashwini Dubey appeared for petitioner Bhawani Nandan Giri, the head sevayat of the temple. The petition argues that the Uttarakhand High Court’s decision was arbitrary and unlawful, especially since a district-level committee headed by the DM and SSP of Haridwar was already in place since 2012 to monitor the temple affairs.
The petition also points out that the appointment of a receiver was ordered during a hearing of an unrelated anticipatory bail plea involving a third party, and not due to any allegations against the temple management itself.
The Maa Chandi Devi Temple, established in the 8th century by Adi Shankaracharya, has been maintained for generations by the petitioner’s family. The petitioners argue that the High Court issued binding directions without issuing a notice or hearing them, violating the principles of natural justice.
