Bhubaneswar, Sept. 17 -- In an order reinforcing the principle that temple lands are meant for the deity and devotees rather than private claimants, the Orissa High Court has dismissed an Interlocutory Application (IA) pertaining to the ownership dispute over land of 12th Century Puri Lord Jagannath temple.
The interest of Lord Jagannath, who is a perpetual minor, has to be safeguarded by the State as well as the Courts, the division bench of Justices K.R.Mohapatra and Savitri Ratho held while dismissing the IA.
The applicants had sought the execution of a sale deed in their favour, as directed in earlier court orders. However, the bench held that the relief was neither maintainable nor justified in light of subsequent legal and administr...