HP High Court: Claim of Sole Temple Priest Cannot be Decided in Writ Petition

The Himachal Pradesh High Court upheld the rejection of a plea by a man claiming to be the sole hereditary pujari of a temple, seeking exclusion of co-priests.

The Court held that such disputed claims involving facts, custom, and inheritance cannot be decided under writ jurisdiction and must be adjudicated by a civil court.

It also noted that the claim was time-barred under limitation law.

Further, since the temple had been taken over by the State and a trust was managing it, the existing system of shared priest duties could not be disturbed through a writ petition.

[Hari Ram (deceased) through LRs v. State of HP & Os.]