Madhya Pradesh High Court Seeks Response on PIL Alleging VIP Culture at Mahakaleshwar Temple

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has sought responses from the state government and temple authorities on a PIL alleging VIP culture at Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar Temple, where special privileges and faster darshan (viewing) access are provided to influential visitors, disrupting equal access for ordinary devotees.

The petition argues that such practices violate the right to equality and religious freedom. The court will examine whether administrative policies unfairly prioritise certain groups, undermining the sanctity of public religious spaces.

The bench observed that neither the protocols published by the management nor any statutory Acts or Rules defined 'who is a VIP'.

[Darpan Awasthi v State of Madhya Pradesh]