The trust managing the Ayodhya Ram Temple will consider amendments to its deed on December 2, the first such changes since it was constituted in February 2020, amid restructuring for security, logistics, crowd and fund management following controversy over irregularities in donation collections.
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Govind Dev Giri said the amendments could not be taken up at the September 2 meeting because of other pressing issues on the agenda.
The proposed changes are expected to incorporate the newly created chief executive officer (CEO)’s role and define the office holder’s powers, tenure and responsibilities. The amendments are likely to include provisions to strengthen transparency in accounting and administration as the temple moves from the construction phase towards management and operation.
The trust was constituted in February 2020 after the Supreme Court awarded the entire 2.77-acre disputed land in Ayodhya for the temple construction. The focus has since been on the temple construction and associated facilities. The temple ecosystem is now expanding and includes visitor management, infrastructure, religious activities, security, finances, and day-to-day administration.
The proposed changes are seen as an effort to provide a more structured institutional framework. The creation of the CEO’s post is a significant administrative step in this transition.
{{/usCountry}}The proposed changes are seen as an effort to provide a more structured institutional framework. The creation of the CEO’s post is a significant administrative step in this transition.
{{/usCountry}}The trust on Wednesday appointed Air Marshal (retired) Jeetendra Mishra as its first CEO and inducted three new members. Giri was named as the new general secretary. Businessman Mahesh Bhagchandka, who also runs the Ashok Singhal Foundation, replaced Giri as treasurer. Former trust members Champat Rai and Anil Mishra quit their posts in July over the donation irregularities.
Air Marshal (retired) Mishra’s appointment for three years marked a shift from trustee-led management to professional corporate oversight. The appointments marked the most significant shake-up in the trust’s functioning as it faced criticism over donation collections.
The donation theft controversy first surfaced on June 7 when Samajwadi Party leader Tej Narayan ‘Pawan’ Pandey alleged that donations worth ₹5 crore to ₹7.5 crore were siphoned off from temple offerings. On June 13, the state government set up the first Special Investigation Team (SIT).
On June 25, a first information report was registered against eight named accused and other unidentified people.
The eight, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Ram Shankar Yadav alias Tinnu, Manish Yadav, Subhash Srivastava, Avinash Shukla, Rama Shankar Mishra and Karunesh Pandey, were arrested on June 26. Nearly ₹80 lakh was recovered from their homes.
The SIT named Tinnu, a former aide and driver of Rai, as the mastermind behind the alleged diversion of funds.
A second SIT was constituted in July following the Supreme Court’s direction. On August 17, the first SIT’s final report flagged “gross lapses” in the trust’s functioning and questioned the State Bank of India’s (SBI) role. It noted the trust’s lack of professional financial management but found no evidence of financial impropriety at the leadership level.
On July 6, the trust accepted the resignations of Rai and Anil Mishra. It removed administrator Gopal Rao and announced a three-member panel to appoint a new CEO.
Air Marshal (retired) Mishra arrived in Ayodhya on Wednesday and held a series of meetings to familiarise himself with the trust’s functioning. He has not yet formally assumed charge. Giri said the trust would request him to take charge at the earliest.