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Judiciary Update

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 4/19/2021 10:50:41 AM

Kalkaji Mandir: HC appoints court receivers to assess offerings, donations during Navratri

New Delhi, Apr 18 The Delhi High Court has appointed Court receivers to assess the offerings and donations given at the Kalkaji Mandir, Delhi, during the Navratri period while hearing a plea filed by a man, a legal heir & claiming his right as “Baridaar” for conducting the puja sewa. The present petition has been filed by one Bishan Swaroop relates to the Mandir Shree Kalkaji, claiming his right as a “Baridaar” to conduct Pooja sewa, share in the offerings and revenues from movable/ immovable assets including teh-bazari rights, in relation to his shashmahi bari, which comes in every 12 years during the two Navratri periods. The grievance of the Petitioner is that he is not being permitted to exercise his rights in the current bari because his mother, late Mrs. Bishan Devi, being a woman, is being considered as a person who cannot exercise her rights qua the said bari, being a female heir. A Single-judge bench of Justice Prathiba M. Singh has noted in its order, “This Court has had the occasion of considering a similar case, in respect of various baridars in the Kalkaji Mandir, during the months of January and February. Owing to the various issues relating to mismanagement at the Kalkaji Mandir, and the complete lack of any facilities for devotees, a detailed order was passed on 5th February, 2021 in FAO 36/2021 titled Neeta Bhardwaj and ors. v. Kamlesh Sharma. In the said order, this court has clearly held that women, who are legal heirs, would be entitled to exercise their bari and perform the puja rights. Further, this Court had appointed receivers to take over the assessment of various donation boxes and the offerings which were being received at the temple, during the said bari, and several directions were issued by the Court.” The Court has also noted that said order was challenged in the Supreme Court whereby the Supreme Court has dismissed the said SLP. The Delhi High Court said, “In the present petition, the share of Mr. Bishan Swaroop, who is one of the baridaars during the navratra period, is in dispute. There can be no dispute about the fact that during the navratra period, offerings and the donations which are given at the Kalkaji Mandir are extremely high. This is also clear from the reports received in the earlier petition where the Local Commissioner and the Receivers, who were appointed, have informed this Court that during the navratra period.