Court affirms the exoneration of priests from mismanagement charges, emphasizes preservation of deities amidst structural collapse.
In a significant judgment dated July 16, 2026, the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Gwalior Bench, delivered a verdict in favor of the hereditary priests of the Radha Gopalji temple, situated in Kolaras, District Shivpuri. The court quashed the orders issued by the Collector, Commissioner, and Upper Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh, which sought to remove the priests from their duties following allegations of mismanagement and misuse of temple property.
The case, filed as Writ Petition No. 3716 of 2010, was presided over by Justice Milind Ramesh Phadke. The petitioners, represented by Senior Advocate Shri V K Bhardwaj and Advocate Shri Anand V. Bhardwaj, challenged the legality of the orders removing them from the temple's management and sought restoration of their duties.
The core issue revolved around allegations that the priests had mismanaged temple property and allowed its deterioration, leading to the collapse of the temple structure. However, an inquiry conducted by the Superintendent Land Manager established that the collapse was due to natural deterioration and not due to any negligence on the part of the priests. The idols were subsequently moved to a nearby functional temple to maintain uninterrupted worship, an act which the court deemed responsible and in the interest of preserving religious practices.
Justice Phadke emphasized that the removal of hereditary priests requires credible evidence of misconduct, which was lacking in this case. The court underscored that mere complaints without substantiation cannot justify such drastic action. Additionally, historical revenue records from 1951 to 1961 supported the priests' claim of the temple's status as Bhumiswami, contradicting later claims of state ownership.
The court's decision reinstates the Sub-Divisional Officer’s earlier order from January 5, 2004, which had dropped the removal proceedings, highlighting the importance of evidence-based actions in matters involving religious institutions.
Bottom line:-
Removal of hereditary priests from temple management must be supported by credible evidence of misconduct or mismanagement. Preservation of idols and uninterrupted worship in case of structural collapse cannot be treated as dereliction of duty.
Statutory provision(s): Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code, 1959 Section 158(1)(b)
Narayan Das v. State of M.P., (Madhya Pradesh)(Gwalior) : Law Finder Doc id # 2947348
