Srimandir Ratna Bhandar case in HC: Odisha govt to appoint committee chairperson in 4 weeks

Odisha government informed the High Court that it will appoint the chairperson of the committee for Puri Srimandir Ratna Bhandar in four weeks. This was informed during the hearing on the Puri Srimandir Ratna Bhandar opening and inventory case.

As per the State govt, a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge will be appointed as the chairperson of the committee in four weeks.

The next hearing of the case will be conducted after four weeks.

Earlier, the court had directed the State government to constitute a high-level committee to supervise the preparation of an inventory of the Ratna Bhandar ornaments, if so required by the Sri Jagannath Temple Management Committee (SJTMC).

“Earlier in September 2023, the High Court had ordered the Odisha government to form a high-level committee to supervise the preparation of an inventory of the Ratna Bhandar within two months. As the government didn’t constitute the committee within the stipulated time, we moved the High Court again through a misc petition. We have also submitted contempt petitions against the Chief Secretary, Law Secretary, and the Chief Administrator of SJTA,” said lawyer Pitambar Acharya.

“There was no hearing of the contempt petitions today. However, hearing the misc petition, Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Justice Savitri Ratho have directed the Odisha government to appoint the chairperson of the committee in four weeks. The next hearing of the case will be conducted after four weeks,” he added.