NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear on January 22, next year, a petition filed by ISKCON India seeking review of its earlier May 16 verdict holding that the Hare Krishna temple in Bengaluru belongs to ISKCON Society of the city.
A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice M M Sundresh, and also comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Satish Chandra Sharma, issued notice to ISKCON Bangalore, and decided to review the May 16 verdict on January 22, 2026.
While admitting the review petition filed by ISKCON India and other similar petitions for hearing in the ongoing dispute, the apex court sought the response of the Bengaluru faction of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and other parties in the ongoing dispute.
“List the matter on 22.01.2026 at 3:00pm for directions, only for the purpose of ensuring that notices have been served on all the respondents. We further make it clear that on the date to be fixed for hearing, the question of review jurisdiction as well as issues on merits will be heard and considered,” said, the apex court in its December 3, order, accessed by the TNIE.
It also added that the applications for listing Review Petitions in open Court and for oral hearing are allowed. Applications for permission to file additional documents and for and for permission to file fresh documents are allowed.
The court also in its December 3 order, noted that Vikas Singh Jangra, AOR (Advocate on Record) accepted the notice on behalf of the respondent- ISKCON, Bangalore and Kartik Seth, for another respondent Madhupant Das.
The apex court also directed the parties to complete the pleadings within a period of six weeks from the date of service of notice. “Counsel appearing for the parties are permitted to file their respective convenience compilation(s),” said the court.
It is to he noted that the top court on May 16 had set aside the Karnataka High Court’s May 2011 order giving control of the Bengaluru temple to the Mumbai faction of ISKCON.
On October 28, the over 25-year-old legal dispute between Mumbai and Bengaluru factions of ISKCON over control of the Bengaluru temple was revived after a two-judge bench of the apex court delivered a split decision on the review plea of ISKCON India seeking review of the May 16 verdict.
While Justice JK Maheshwari found substance in the plea of ISKCON India and agreed to hear the matter in open court, Justice AG Masih dismissed the review petitions filed in the matter saying there is no error apparent on the face of record or any merit in the Review Petitions warranting reconsideration of the May 16 judgment. Following this, the matter was placed before the Chief Justice of India for constituting a larger bench and a three-judge bench was formed to consider the multiple review petitions filed in the case.