Chhattisgarh HC Upholds Vindhyavasini Mandir Trust’s Ownership; Rejects Pujari’s Claim Over Temple Land

The Chhattisgarh High Court, in a long-running dispute over temple land, has upheld a 1989 civil court decree, affirming that the Vindhyavasini Mandir Trust Samiti, registered on 23 January 1974, is the rightful owner and manager of the temple property. 

Dismissing a challenge by a pujari claiming ancestral rights over the land, the Court held that the pujari merely serves as a manager or grantee without any proprietary entitlement.

The Court rejected the claim based on a 1985 patta (lease) and emphasised that the petitioner lacked locus standi, as he was not a party to the original proceedings.