Supreme Court Decides: Bengaluru’s Hare Krishna Temple Belongs to ISKCON Society Bengaluru
A Landmark Decision Ends a Long-Standing Dispute
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has made a big decision. It says the Hare Krishna temple in Bengaluru belongs to the ISKCON Society in Bengaluru. This decision came on Friday.
What Led to This Case?
The top court agreed with ISKCON Bangalore. They had challenged a Karnataka High Court order. That order had favored ISKCON Mumbai. It was about who controls the famous Hare Krishna temple and school complex in Bengaluru.
A group of judges, Justices A S Oka and Augustine George Masih, made this decision. ISKCON Bangalore had gone to the top court on June 2, 2011. They were challenging the high court’s decision from May 23, 2011.
The Legal Path
In their plea, ISKCON Bangalore, led by Kodandarama Dasa, argued against the high court’s decision. That decision had overturned a 2009 order from a local court in Bengaluru.
The local court had earlier sided with ISKCON Bangalore. It recognized their legal right. It also gave a permanent order against ISKCON Mumbai. But the high court changed this. It supported a counterclaim by ISKCON Mumbai. This gave them control over the temple.
Main Arguments
The legal fight was between two groups. Both have similar names and spiritual goals. Here are the main points:
- ISKCON Bangalore is registered in Karnataka. They say they have been working independently. They have been managing the Bengaluru temple for many years.
- ISKCON Mumbai is registered under the national Societies Registration Act of 1860. They are also registered under the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950. They say ISKCON Bangalore is just their branch. They argue that the property should be under their control.
This ruling by the Supreme Court makes it clear who owns the Hare Krishna temple in Bengaluru. It ends a long fight between the two ISKCON groups.
