CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Tuesday reserved judgment on senior BJP leader Samir Mohanty’s PIL seeking direction for repair of the Puri Jagannath temple’s Ratna Bhandar and inventory of the ornaments, jewellery and other valuables kept inside it.
The division bench of Chief Justice Subhasis Talapatra and Justice Savitri Ratho reserved judgment after hearing the submissions of senior advocate Pitambar Acharya representing the petitioner and senior advocate Buddhadev Routray on behalf of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee.
Acharya pointed out that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had in an affidavit stated that inspection of the interior of Ratna Bhandar has not been possible for want of permission from the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA). While seeking direction for inspection of the structural status of Ratna Bhandar interior as per recommendation of ASI’s technical expert committee, he further pointed out that though the ASI had sought permission for it in a letter issued to the chief administrator of SJTA on August 8, 2022, it is still not given.
Routray submitted that the managing committee had already passed a resolution in favour of opening the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar for inspection for repair work and inventory of ornaments, jewellery, and other valuables in a meeting held on August 4, 2023.The committee passed a resolution stating that the repair could be taken up by opening the Ratna Bhandar during Rath Yatra next year, Routray stated.