T he Himachal Pradesh High Court issued a landmark judgment last week stating that temple funds can’t be used or misused by the government. The Division Bench of Justices Vivek Singh Thakur and Rakesh Kainthla held that “Temple funds belong to the deity, not to the state”.

The High Court was of the opinion that the deity is a juristic person, establishing very clearly that any misuse of temple funds belonging to the deity is tantamount to a criminal breach of trust.

The judgment thus drew a firm line between sacred trust and State treasury, restoring the autonomy and sanctity of temple administration. Mostly on the lines of Shiroor Mutt. Show Full Article

History of temple law in India

In the early 19th century, the East India Company set a precedent for State intervention in templ

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