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The Supreme Court on Tuesday indicated that it may direct the Uttar Pradesh government to acquire land required for the development of the Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan if the High-Powered Committee's efforts to purchase the land privately continue to face obstruction.

“If you continue with your negotiations, if a private transaction take place, you let us know. We will permit you to go ahead. If there is still an impediment, then we will direct the state to acquire the land”, CJI Surya Kant told the High-Powered Committee.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana was hearing an application filed by the Management Committee of Thakur Shree Bankey Bihari Ji Maharaj Temple concerning the management and development of the temple.

The High-Powered Temple Management Committee was constituted by the Supreme Court in August 2025 to oversee and supervise the day-to-day functioning of the temple pending the proceedings concerning its management.

On the previous date, the Court had asked the state government and the High-Powered Committee to come up with a development plan for the temple. As per the latest status report, a comprehensive development plan has been prepared for the temple precinct, taking into account the demographic and footfall projections for the area.

It records a current regional footfall of approximately six crore visitors annually across the Braj region and 1.75 crore annually in Vrindavan, and projects an annual footfall of 2.5 to 3 crore visitors by 2041.

The development plan envisages a three-level development with facilities including waiting areas, cloakrooms and shoe storage, baggage rooms, childcare facilities, food courts, public utilities, accessibility facilities, a 10-bed hospital, a command-and-control centre, police barracks and management offices.

Senior Advocate Maninder Singh for the court appointed High-Powered Temple Management Committee told the Court that about 5.5 acres of land was required for development. He said that nearly half an acre had been acquired and efforts were underway to acquire the remaining five acres, but the process was facing obstruction.

As per the status report, the development plan requires 22,850 square metres of land. The proposed area covers approximately 22,722.9 square metres, or 5.61 acres, comprising 197 plots. A land purchase sub-committee was constituted on September 11, 2025 to negotiate with property owners and the process of purchase/acquisition of existing buildings and assets in the identified area was thereafter initiated. 28 sale deeds covering 2,696.98 square metres have been executed in favour of the temple, the status report says.

The report states that execution of further sale deeds has slowed down because of objections raised by the Goswami members. It also says that some Goswami members expressed displeasure towards persons who had already sold land to the committee and had themselves refused to sell land in the development area.

Singh submitted that the Goswami members were objecting to the utilisation of temple funds for development while also creating obstacles in the acquisition of land.

Advocate NK Goswami alleged that the High Powered Committee is playing a fraud on the Court by attempting to purchase disputed land for the temple.

Senior Advocate Shyam Divan for the Goswami-led Management Committee of the Temple Divan objected to temple funds being used to purchase the properties. He submitted that purchasing properties with the temple funds was not within the remit of the court-appointed High-Powered Committee. He highlighted that High Powered Committee was constituted as an interim arrangement, and the main constitutional challenge in case is still pending.

However, the CJI pointed out that the Court had also given a mandate for development activities to the High-Powered Committee. He CJI told the High-Powered Committee to continue negotiations, and if a private transaction for the required land took place, the committee could inform the Court. If there was still an impediment, the Court would consider directing the State to acquire the land, he said.

Divan also raised concerns over the manner in which committee meetings were being conducted. He said agendas were not circulated and members were informed through WhatsApp to attend meetings. He also sought video recording of meetings and circulation of draft and final minutes.

He further suggested regulating darshan through tickets or an online system, referring to the system used during the COVID-19 period. He said that similar systems were being followed at other temples for crowd control.

The status report records that the four Goswami members had earlier proposed an extension of darshan timings and the High-Powered Committee approved the proposal and issued an instruction for its implementation. However, the change has not yet been implemented by the Goswamis, the report states.

The report also records complaints concerning alleged violations of traditional practices at the temple, including the physical condition of precious gold and silver heritage items, arrangements concerning darshan, an alleged misappropriation of a 55 kg silver boat offered at the temple, the Rath Yatra tradition and changes concerning traditional rituals.

The Court granted the parties one week to parties and intervenors file their responses and objections to the status report.

Case no. – W.P.(C) No. 704/2025 and connected case

Case Title – Management Committee of Thakur Shree Bankey Bihari Ji Maharaj Temple & Anr. v. State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors.

Also from today's hearing -  Banke Bihari Temple | Devotees' Offerings Must Directly Reach Donation Box Or Online Treasury; Sewayats Must Not Interfere : Supreme Court

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