New Delhi. The Supreme Court’s comment regarding the timings and traditions of darshan in the famous Thakur Shri Banke Bihari Ji temple of Vrindavan has once again brought the ongoing debate between religious system, faith and management to the center stage. During the hearing on Monday, Chief Justice (CJI) Surya Kant made a very sharp comment and said that the current system is like exploiting a god. This comment came during the hearing of the petition in which the parties related to the temple management objected to some decisions of the High Powered Temple Management Committee constituted by the court.
Why did CJI Surya Kant talk about ‘exploitation of God’?
According to the report of Bar and Bench, during the ongoing hearing regarding the timing of darshan in Shri Banke Bihari Temple, CJI Surya Kant said that even after the temple is closed at 12 noon, the deity does not get even a minute’s rest. This is the time when the deity is exploited the most. The court also raised serious questions on the fact that the rich people who can pay the most are allowed to perform special puja. The signal from the bench was clear. Should the measure of faith be decided by the amount of donation? And can temple traditions be changed in a way that affects the rights of both the deity and the common devotee?
Why did the matter reach the Supreme Court?
This petition was filed on behalf of Thakur Shri Banke Bihari Ji Maharaj Temple Management Committee. This committee has been constituted under the Uttar Pradesh Shri Banke Bihari Ji Mandir Trust Ordinance 2025. The petitioners have objected to some decisions of the High Powered Committee constituted by the Supreme Court in August 2025, especially regarding the change in the timing of darshan and interference in the traditional arrangements of the temple.
What is the argument of the temple side?
On behalf of the temple management, senior advocate Shyam Diwan said that sensitivity is very important in such matters. There has been a change in the timing of darshan, which affects the traditions. He argued that the worship system and operation of the Banke Bihari temple has been going on for decades under the management plan of 1939, in which the time of darshan), method of worship, role of sevayats, financial arrangement of the temple, everything is clearly decided.
Through the Uttar Pradesh Shri Banke Bihari Ji Temple Trust Ordinance, 2025, the state government wants to bring the management of the temple under the government controlled trust. Questions are being raised about whether the government has the right to interfere so much in religious institutions? Will this weaken age-old traditions? However, the Supreme Court itself refused to hear the petition challenging the ordinance and sent the matter to the Allahabad High Court.
Role of High Powered Committee
In August 2025, the Supreme Court had formed a high-powered committee under the chairmanship of former Allahabad High Court judge Ashok Kumar to oversee the day-to-day operations of the temple. This committee was given the responsibility to make arrangements for clean water, toilets and shelters, separate corridors for crowd control, special facilities for elderly and weak devotees, planning for the overall development of the temple and the surrounding area and acquiring land if necessary.
