The Supreme Court has made it clear that existing religious practices at the Bankey Bihari Temple will continue without any changes for now. The Court deferred the hearing, signalling a cautious approach amid the ongoing dispute over temple management and traditions.
The Supreme Court of India on Monday indicated that it will not interfere with the current system of religious practices at the Bankey Bihari Temple for the time being, even as a legal dispute over temple rituals and administration continues. The Court decided to postpone the hearing for two weeks so that all parties can study and respond to a fresh status report submitted in the matter.
A Bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made it clear that the present system will continue without any immediate changes. While adjourning the case, the Chief Justice observed,
“We are not inclined to make any structural changes to the present arrangement,”
indicating the Court’s cautious approach in dealing with sensitive religious matters.
The case arises from a petition filed by the temple’s management committee along with sevayats (priests), who have raised objections against recent administrative developments. At the core of the dispute is a High-Powered Committee (HPC), which was earlier constituted under court directions to oversee the temple’s functioning. This 12-member committee, headed by a retired High Court judge, was entrusted with managing daily affairs after certain provisions of a new state ordinance were stayed.
However, the petitioners have alleged that the HPC has gone beyond its assigned role and has interfered with long-standing religious customs and traditions of the temple. They have specifically challenged certain changes introduced in the functioning of the temple, including modifications in darshan timings, discontinuation of the traditional Dehri puja, and the imposition of charges on rituals such as the phool bangla service.
According to the petitioners, these practices are not merely routine activities but are deeply connected to the temple’s religious identity and centuries-old traditions. They emphasized that the temple follows strict seasonal schedules, with different timings for summer and winter, which are aligned with the daily rituals of the deity, including waking and resting periods. Any disruption to this schedule, they argue, disturbs the spiritual balance and traditional rhythm of worship.
One of the major points of conflict is the suspension of the Dehri puja. The petitioners argued that this ritual is an essential part of the Guru–Shishya tradition and is performed in a controlled environment when the temple remains closed to the public. They questioned the reasoning behind stopping this ritual in the name of crowd management, stating that such measures should not override established religious customs.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj informed the Court that the HPC is functioning strictly within the scope of judicial directions and is not taking an adversarial stand in the matter. On the other hand, senior advocate Shyam Divan pointed out that the latest status report had been shared only a day earlier and requested more time to file a proper response.
The controversy is also linked to the Uttar Pradesh Shri Bankey Bihari Ji Temple Trust Ordinance, 2025, which proposes the creation of a state-controlled trust to manage the temple, replacing the existing traditional system. This move has triggered a broader debate on the extent of government involvement in religious institutions and whether such intervention affects age-old practices and autonomy.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had stayed certain provisions of the ordinance and left the question of its constitutional validity to be decided by the Allahabad High Court. At the same time, it permitted the HPC to continue managing the temple’s day-to-day affairs.
In a previous hearing held in December, the Bench had made strong oral observations regarding paid “special pujas” and their impact on the deity’s rest.
The Chief Justice had remarked,
“What they do is, after closing the temple at 12 noon, they do not allow the deity to rest even for a second and they exploit the deity like anything. The so-called affluent people, those who can afford to pay hefty amounts, are allowed to do special pujas,”
highlighting concerns over commercialization of religious practices.
With new applications and objections now placed before the Court, it has decided to hear all related issues together after two weeks. For now, the Court’s stand is clear—there will be no immediate changes in the functioning of one of Vrindavan’s most prominent temples, while the larger legal and constitutional questions continue to be examined.
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