The Supreme Court on Monday (April 13, 2026) made it clear that it will not make any structural changes in the existing system regarding religious rituals in the famous Banke Bihari temple of Vrindavan. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi took note of the arguments of senior advocate Shyam Divan and advocate Tanvi Dubey and directed that the matter be listed for hearing after two weeks so that the parties can get an opportunity to respond to the recently filed status report.
The Supreme Court was hearing the petition filed by the management committee and sevayats (priests) of Thakur Shri Banke Bihari Ji Maharaj Temple. The petitioners have challenged the recent administrative decisions of the high-powered committee constituted by the court, which have allegedly interfered with age-old religious traditions.
Earlier, the court had stayed parts of the Uttar Pradesh Shri Banke Bihari Ji Mandir Trust Ordinance, 2025 and formed a 12-member high-powered committee headed by retired Allahabad High Court judge Ashok Kumar to oversee the functioning of the temple.
Advocate Shyam Diwan told the court that he was given a status report late on Sunday evening and he should be given two weeks to reply. While postponing the hearing, the Chief Justice said, ‘We are not ready to make any structural changes in the existing system.’
Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj said that the high-powered committee wants to follow the directions of the court and no contrary stand will be taken in this matter. The Supreme Court had issued notices on the petition on December 15, 2025 and the status report was filed on Sunday. The bench also issued notice on an application in which certain factual and other grounds have been raised, which require changes or clarifications.
The petitioners have expressed concern over how the high-powered committee has interpreted its superior powers to issue certain orders related to essential religious rituals of the temple. This includes changing the timing of darshan, stopping the ritual of Dehri Puja, imposing exorbitant fees on Sevayat Goswami for Phool Bangla Seva, etc.
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