Odishatv Bureau

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday refused to issue an interim order while hearing a review petition filed by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) against a single bench verdict of the court on February 24.

The single judge bench of the High Court had rejected an appeal by ISKCON challenging the stop work order issued by the Puri-Konark Development Authority (PKDA).

The court had asked ISKCON to present its side before PKDA on a Jagannath temple project and its construction.

The organisation had moved the HC following PKDA’s order to ‘stop work’ on the temple at Baliapanda in the holy city and to submit details about the project. PKDA had issued the order after chief minister Naveen Patnaik asked the RDC (Central Division) to inquire into allegations of land grab by ISKCON for the proposed mega temple.

ISKCON had knocked on the doors of HC when it was asked by RDC to submit its report within 60 days.

During a hearing on the matter on January 29, the HC had issued an interim stay till February 17 forbidding any action by PKDA in the matter till further orders.

Earlier in the day, the counsel for ISKCON had pleaded before the Puri Collector to defer the hearing as the HC order had not come out by then. Accepting the plea, the Puri Collector deferred its hearing and decided to send notices to both the parties about the next hearing date later.

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