HC asks govt to review provisions for sale, lease of Jagannath land | Bhubaneswar News
Cuttack: Orissa high court has directed the state govt to review existing provisions and procedural mechanisms of Puri Jagannath Temple land under the shrine management to address “glaring lacunae” that have allowed large swathes of the Lord’s properties to slip away from the control of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA). In an order issued on Friday, Justice S K Panigrahi observed, “The current framework has demonstrated ineffectiveness in safeguarding the proprietary rights of the temple and its deity, Lord Jagannath, and must therefore be strengthened, clarified, and made more stringent to prevent recurrence of such irregularities.”Justice Panigrahi was hearing a review petition filed on behalf of the deity by SJTA. According to the case records, 15 acres of land in Kantia mouza belonging to Lord Jagannath had been given by the shrine management on permanent lease in 1973. The possession changed hands by way of sale deeds in 1981 and 2000. Following a petition filed by the lessee, the HC on March 27, 2023, directed SJTA to initiate steps for the sale of the land to the petitioner.The SJTA had filed a review petition challenging the order.While quashing the March 2023 order, Justice Panigrahi said, “In the instant case, the proprietary interests of Lord Jagannath have been gravely compromised by a series of illegal acts that cannot be dismissed as mere procedural lapses or judicial oversight.” Expressing concern that large swathes of land endowed in the name of Lord Jagannath, particularly in urban and peri-urban areas, have already slipped from the effective control of the temple administration, Justice Panigrahi said, “Such alienation of the temple properties have rendered the estate economically unviable, as the returns are grossly disproportionate to the market value of the land and insufficient even to meet the administrative costs associated with their management.“Accordingly, Justice Panigrahi directed the law department and the temple administration to ensure proper coordination and timely communication in all matters concerning alienation, lease or mutation of temple lands. He added, “No sanction or approval shall be considered valid unless it strictly complies with the statutory requirements, including prior recommendation by competent land committees and valuation by the district sub-registrar, as mandated by law.“Justice Panigrahi also directed sensitisation of the administrative machinery, including revenue officials and subordinate authorities, to the unique status of the temple properties and the fact that Lord Jagannath, being a perpetual minor, requires special protection of his interests. “Any negligence, corruption or administrative lethargy resulting in illegal transfer or mutation of temple land must be identified and acted upon with due diligence,” the judge added.He further directed the state govt to take appropriate steps to streamline and improve the efficiency of the processes related to temple land administration to prevent future disputes and ensure that the rights of the temple remain inviolable. “This shall include digitalisation of records, clear guidelines on mutation and transfer, and robust monitoring mechanisms,” Justice Panigrahi said.
