Temple's VIP Entry Controversy: Court Upholds Administrative Discretion

The high-profile dispute over VIP access to the Mahakaleshwar temple's inner sanctum has been settled by the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which ruled that such decisions remain at the administration's discretion. The court refused to define VIP status, leaving it to local authorities to decide based on circumstances.

This decision came during the dismissal of a Public Interest Litigation filed by Indore resident Darpan Awasthi, who claimed that allowing VIPs but not common devotees into the inner sanctum was discriminatory. The court, however, found that no statutory definition of a VIP exists and noted that entry permission depends on the temple's management, led by the Collector and Administrator.

The judgment reflects the broader practice in India's religious sites, where administrative authorities often decide special access protocols. The Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain attracts vast numbers of devotees as a significant religious tourism site, complicating the logistics of access and highlighting the nuanced discretion applied by temple authorities.

(With inputs from agencies.)