Banke Bihari Temple: Supreme Court says all donations must go directly to temple treasury

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that all donations made to the Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan be deposited through the temple’s donation boxes or online, directly into the temple treasury.

A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said,

“Let there be no doubt, and we accordingly direct that every penny of donation must come through the donation boxes or online [into the] temple treasury. Any impediment created by sevayats (temple servants) or anyone else shall be viewed very seriously."

The Court also directed the Temple’s managing committee to introduce a transparent mechanism for receiving donations and take all necessary steps to prevent malpractices.

The directions were passed in the broader dispute concerning the management and administration of the Banke Bihari Temple, including the manner in which its funds are handled and the constitution of a committee to oversee its affairs.

The dispute arose after the Uttar Pradesh government brought the Temple’s management under a statutory framework through the Uttar Pradesh Shri Banke Bihari Ji Temple Trust Ordinance, 2025. The move sought to replace the 1939 Scheme of Management, which has long governed the administration and rituals of the temple, including provisions concerning darshan, religious practices and temple finances.

The proposed State-controlled trust had led to questions over the extent of government involvement in the management of religious institutions.

In August 2025, the Supreme Court had set up a high-powered committee headed by former Allahabad High Court Justice Ashok Kumar to oversee the temple’s day-to-day functioning. The committee was tasked with ensuring basic amenities for devotees, including drinking water, washrooms, shelters, crowd-management corridors and facilities for vulnerable devotees, besides planning the development of the temple and its surroundings, including land acquisition where necessary.

Notably, in May 2025, the Court had permitted the Uttar Pradesh government to use temple funds to acquire five acres of land around the temple for corridor development, subject to the land being registered in the name of the deity.

During the hearing today, Senior Advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the petitioners, raised concerns over the alleged use of temple funds by the managing committee for purchasing properties.

“The major concern which we have... is that funds are being expended by this committee in a manner which is completely unjustified,” submitted Divan.

He questioned whether buying properties was within the committee’s powers. He also submitted that the petitioners had challenged the legislation concerning the temple’s management and that the Court was yet to decide issues relating to Article 25 of the Constitution, which protects freedom of religion.

CJI Kant then asked,

“If it is development activity, where are the funds going to come from? Let us say you are [setting up] a medical clinic."

Divan also raised concerns over the regulation of darshan, referring to a previous stampede at the temple. He said that the petitioners had repeatedly suggested regulating the flow of devotees through tickets or an online system similar to the one used during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think it is a most eminently reasonable suggestion because we do not want any loss. Even those suggestions of ours have not been heeded,” he submitted.

The Court directed that these submissions be dealt with in the reply.

It clarified that money offered by devotees must first be deposited with the deity rather than being collected directly by individuals associated with the temple.

An intervenor representing the deity submitted that money allegedly being collected by bhandaris was actually cash received for bhog (offerings of food) and that the arrangement was protected by a civil court decree. Counsel described it as a “usufructuary right” of the sevayats recognised by a civil court decree.

The Court, however, said,

"First, the donation must be into the dedication, that is, to the deity. And from that you will get your share as part of the bhandari duties. You cannot appropriate [the money] before the devotee goes to the temple and gives the money into the deity's funds," said the Court.

Justice Bagchi added that a priest or sevayat could not treat money belonging to the deity as being directly available to them before it was first offered to the deity.

"A priest cannot have a garnishee right on the deity," he said.

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