The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has ordered the government to take over the management of the two temples in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district to preserve and protect the temples and the properties attached to it.
The order comes after the court had issued similar orders about two other temples in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.
In an order dated July 9 in a series of petitions and applications relating to temple properties in J&K and their management, justices Sanjeev Kumar and MA Chowdhary decided on the petition regarding management of Shri Raghu Nath Mandir and Nagbal Gautam Nag Temple, Anantnag, in south Kashmir.
The court said that the petition appears to be a claim and a counter claim by the petitioner and the newly impleaded respondent with respect to the management of the temples.
“Having heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the material on record, we are of the considered opinion that the two shrines, i.e., Shri Raghu Nath Mandir and Nagbal Gautam Nag Temple, Anantnag, along with the properties attached thereto, are neither vested in the petitioner nor in the newly impleaded respondent,” it said.
The court said that the properties “vest in the deity” and, therefore, are required to be managed in an effective and peaceful manner.
“Keeping in view of the rival claims made by the two sides, it would be appropriate that both the aforesaid temples and the properties attached thereto are put under the management of the deputy commissioner (district magistrate), Anantnag, leaving the petitioner as well as the newly impleaded respondent free to agitate their rights before the civil court,” the order said.
To preserve and protect the subject temples and the properties attached thereto, the court disposed the petition asking the district magistrate, Anantnag, to immediately take over the management of both the temples, i.e., Shri Raghu Nath Mandir and Nagbal Gautam Nag Temple, Anantnag, and the properties attached thereto, if not already taken over.
“The district magistrate shall also ensure that the properties belonging to these temples are restored to the temples after following due process of law. The district magistrate may constitute a committee of responsible officers to manage the affairs of both the temples and properties attached thereto in an effective manner,” it said.
The order came on the heels on another judgement by Justice Sanjeev Kumar who allowed a petition by the members of the Kashmiri Pandit community and directed the district magistrate of north Kashmir Ganderbal district to preserve, protect and maintain two Hindu religious shrines namely ‘Asthapan Devraj Bharav’ situated in Nuner village of the district and ‘Vidhushe’ shrine.
The petitioners had alleged that some people (respondents), who had themselves also migrated out of the Valley in 1990s, had leased the shrine properties to other respondents.
