Banke Bihari Temple case: Supreme Court says will pass orders setting up former HC judge-led committee

The bench, also comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi, said the committee will include some government officials as well as representatives of the shrine’s traditional caretakers, and will oversee improving the facilities.

“We will infuse some officials in the Committee. Some of you also. We are broadly telling you. We will authorise the Chairman of the Committee to have some Goswamis also… the Committee will see to developmental activities in the area,” Justice Kant added.

The court said that until the Allahabad High Court decides the matter, the committee proposed under the Ordinance will be kept in abeyance.

The bench also said it will set aside the directions in the May 25 order allowing the UP Government to use the Banke Bihari Temple funds for buying land around it for a proposed corridor project.

Appearing for the UP government, Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj pointed out that some parallel proceedings are ongoing before the high court in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), and the HC had appointed amicus curiae in the matter and also passed some orders.

The SC then stayed the high court single-judge order and asked the HC Chief Justice to assign it to a division bench, saying that matters pertaining to the constitutionality of statutes are generally heard by division benches.