Temple Tug-of-War: Supreme Court Petition Challenges Uttar Pradesh's Shrine Ordinance

A legal battle has reached the Supreme Court as the Thakur Shree Banke Bihari Ji Maharaj temple's management committee contests an Uttar Pradesh government ordinance. This ordinance aims to transfer administrative control of the temple to the state, sparking allegations of misuse of power and interference with judicial matters.

Filed by advocate Tanvi Dubey on behalf of the temple's management, the plea points out a previous high court decision on temple fund usage that was ignored. Instead of filing appeals, the state applied for involvement in a separate Supreme Court case, raising questions about the ordinance's timing and legitimacy.

The ordinance's critics argue it undermines a live judicial proceeding in the Allahabad High Court, reflecting a potential abuse of the state's ordinance-making authority under Article 213. The Supreme Court is set to hear this challenge, assessing whether the ordinance unlawfully disrupts ongoing legal processes.

(With inputs from agencies.)