New Delhi, May 29

The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday came down strongly on the Uttar Pradesh Government for its involvement in the management dispute concerning the Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan, warning that such interference by the State in private religious matters undermines the rule of law.
 
A Bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice K.V. Viswanathan made the observations while hearing a petition filed by several sevadars (temple caretakers) who challenged the increasing control being exercised by the state government over the administration and daily management of the temple, which is governed under private trust law.

 Court’s Remarks

“If the State begins to interfere in private disputes without legal sanction, the rule of law will collapse,” said Justice Surya Kant during the hearing.
The Court questioned the legal authority under which the Mathura District Administration had intervened in the temple’s affairs and sought a justification from the State.

The bench further remarked that while the State can regulate public religious institutions for limited purposes like crowd control and security, it cannot assume managerial powers over a private religious endowment without legislative backing or judicial authorization.

 Background

The Banke Bihari Temple, a revered Hindu shrine in Vrindavan, has been at the center of administrative tensions in recent years, especially due to massive pilgrim footfall and stampede-like situations during festivals. In 2022, the Uttar Pradesh government proposed taking over certain aspects of temple management for better coordination and crowd control.

However, the temple’s traditional caretakers argued that such steps amount to a de facto state takeover, violating their rights under the trust and infringing on religious autonomy.

The Supreme Court had earlier appointed a committee to assess safety and crowd control issues, but stressed that it should not be construed as State authority to interfere in spiritual or managerial matters of the temple.

The Court has now sought a detailed affidavit from the UP Government clarifying its role and actions concerning the temple and scheduled the matter for further hearing in July.