HC to petitioner: Show provision that prohibits VIP entry charges at Trimbakeshwar temple

A division bench of justices SV Gangapurwala and SG Dige was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a social worker and former trustee of the temple Lalita Shinde, challenging the levy of ₹200 for VIP entry in the temple by its trust

Mumbai: The Bombay high court (HC) on Monday sought to know if there was any provision that did not permit levying extra charges for the entry of VIPs at the historic Trimbakeshwar temple in Nashik district.

The bench said, “If a person asks for some preference, then extra can be charged. The arrangement is made for those persons. You show a provision which says it is not allowed (HT Photo)

A division bench of justices SV Gangapurwala and SG Dige was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a social worker and former trustee of the temple Lalita Shinde, challenging the levy of ₹200 for VIP entry in the temple by its trust.

The petitioner’s lawyer Rameshwar Gite argued that the payment of charges for VIP entry makes a distinction between people. He claimed the temple was a protected monument and managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and hence the temple trust cannot levy such charges.

The HC has, however, directed the petitioner to show a provision in the law which prohibited the trust from charging devotees who were willing to pay.

The bench said, “If a person asks for some preference, then extra can be charged. The arrangement is made for those persons. You show a provision which says it is not allowed.”

The bench then directed the petitioner to get more convincing arguments and do better research on the issue as it was not convinced and posted the hearing of the PIL to November 30.

Even as a trustee in 2017, The petitioner approached the HC against ₹200 charges which were introduced by the Supreme Court (SC) appointed nine-member committee. The SC had appointed the committee to oversee the day-to-day activities of the temple trust after allegations of mismanagement and misappropriation of funds received by the temple as offerings had surfaced. The committee was headed by a district judge.