Supreme Court disposes of 2018 case on Jagannath Temple reforms

BHUBANESWAR: The hearing into a five-year-old writ petition filed by senior lawyer Mrinalini Padhi on matters relating to Puri Jagannath Temple has come to an end with the Supreme Court completing the proceedings and disposing of the case on Monday.
The two-judge bench of Justices M R Shah and C T Ravikumar disposed of the case after the amicus curiae informed the court about substantial compliance of the court’s 22-point orders/suggestions by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration.
"I am glad that my efforts of bringing changes in the temple affairs bore fruits following the Supreme Court order. The apex court said if anybody is of the opinion that any of the directions have not been complied with, they can move the Orissa high court," said Padhi, who had filed the PIL in Supreme Court on June 7, 2018, seeking its intervention to bring to an end the harassment of devotees and mismanagement in the temple among some other issues.
The Supreme Court on November 4, 2019, had issued 22 directions to the Odisha government for their implementation at the Jagannath Temple in Puri. The temple’s chief administrator was asked to take appropriate steps against unruly servitors, who had been creating disturbance in rituals and misbehaving with devotees.
The temple body was directed to invite Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati and other stakeholders, including Gajapati Maharaj Dibyasingha Deb to ensure smooth, regular and punctual conduct of rituals.
The government was asked to appoint a full time chief administrator, not one on additional charge, for the temple. The shrine management was asked to maintain hygiene in the kitchen and Ananda Bazaar, where devotees take Mahaprasad.
The apex court directed the government to issue identity cards to servitors and staff to prevent impersonation. The government was also asked to prepare a roadmap to enable devotees to have unobstructed and hassle-free darshan everyday.
A few days ago, the temple administration had submitted a compliance report and informed the Supreme Court that almost all the directions, including the appointment of a full-time chief administrator, have been executed.