Take Steps to Check Erosion of Lord Jagannath's Properties: HC

EXPRESSING serious concern over erosion of Lord Jagannath's properties, the Orissa High Court has directed the state government to review the existing provisions and procedural mechanisms under the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to address the lacunae that have allowed unauthorised alienation and mutation of temple lands.

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The single judge bench of Justice SK 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."

In a set of directions issued on Friday, Justice Panigrahi asked the Law department and SJTA to ensure proper coordination and timely communication in all matters concerning alienation, lease or mutation of temple lands.

"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," he stated.