Nainital, Nov 19: The Uttarakhand High Court has directed that the Swami Kailashananda Trust's dharamshala, temple, cowshed, and other properties be handed over to the Shri Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC).
The dispute concerning the ownership and management of the trust and its properties located near Lakshman Jhula in Rishikesh first came before the Dehradun District Court in 2014.
The case was heard by Justice Rakesh Thapliyal, who after hearing all parties and considering the evidence, ordered that all the trust's properties, including the dharamshala, be handed over to the BKTC.
During the lengthy proceedings, it was revealed that some people had illegally encroached upon the trust's temple near Lakshman Jhula, its dharamshala in Mussoorie, its cowshed in Jonk village, and various movable and immovable properties. Many of the trust's properties were allegedly misused, and the original legitimate stakeholders were wrongfully evicted.
As per the Uttarakhand High Court's decision, the BKTC will now have the right to represent the Kailashananda Mission Trust before any court, authority, or government department.
The BKTC will be permitted to place its signboards on the trust's properties. Furthermore, the trust's assets and funds may only be used for public welfare and non-profit activities. The court also directed the district administration to provide full support to the committee as needed.
Welcoming the High Court's order, BKTC President Hemant Dwivedi said that the temple committee will coordinate with the district administration and take all necessary action soon. He said that the committee is committed to fulfilling the obligations required by the judiciary.
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