Goa, Aug. 5 -- In a strong rebuke to the Uttar Pradesh government, the Supreme Court on Monday criticized the state's "clandestine" and "tearing hurry" in promulgating an ordinance to take over Mathura's iconic Bankey Bihari temple. The court suggested forming an interim administrative committee headed by a retired High Court judge to manage the temple's daily affairs and oversee its development.

The move comes in response to the state government's May 26 ordinance titled "Uttar Pradesh Shri Bankey Bihari Ji Temple Trust Ordinance, 2025", which enabled a state-run trust to take full administrative control of the temple, including management of its funds. The ordinance followed a May 15 Supreme Court order that allowed the government to u...