Kamakhya Temple : Doloi Samaj Running Temple Affairs Satisfactorily, Says Assam Govt; Supreme Court Allows Present Arrangement To Continue

The Supreme Court recently held as inoperative the order passed by the Gauhati High Court in 2017 directing the Deputy Commissioner to receive the donations given by the devotees for the developmental activities in the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati and to maintain a separate account regarding the same. The Bench, comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Pankaj Mithal, ordered that the High Court's order will not operate in view of the prevailing arrangement of managing the affairs of temple by Doloi Samaj. The Court took note of the statement of the Assam Government that "at present the Doloi Samaj is running the affairs of the Temple Administration satisfactorily in close coordination with the local administration and the current system may continue.” In 2015, the High Court had directed the Deputy Commissioner to receive the donations given by devotees and public and should maintain a separate account of such donations and spend the same for developmental activities of the Kamakhya temple. Therein, it was decided that “at present the Doloi Samaj is running the affairs of the Temple Administration satisfactorily in close coordination with the local administration and the current system may continue”.