By Rajesh Pandey
In a significant ruling, the Allahabad High Court refused to intervene in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking to halt alleged commercial construction activities on the premises of the historic Ram Janki Temple in Shankargarh, Bara tehsil of Prayagraj.
The temple, estimated to be nearly 200 years old, has been at the centre of controversy over claims of illegal development for business purposes.
The PIL, filed by Ghanshyam Prasad Kesarwani, requested the court to stop the ongoing construction and initiate legal action against Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, who was accused of undertaking the project.
However, the court noted that the land in question is not government-owned but falls under private ownership.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra emphasised that a PIL cannot be used to challenge matters involving private property.
The bench observed: Filing of a PIL, for the purpose of seeking direction to the state in relation to private property or non-government property, cannot be countenanced.
The petition is, therefore, dismissed.”
According to the revenue records of Nagar Panchayat Shankargarh, the temple premises stand on land privately owned by Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, who was listed as the seventh respondent in the case.
The bench noted that the petitioner failed to provide any evidence establishing that the property belonged to the state or any public authority.
Despite dismissing the PIL, the court granted liberty to the petitioner to explore alternative legal remedies: The petitioner is free to take appropriate proceedings in accordance with law.”
The respondents named in the petition included the State of Uttar Pradesh, the Principal Secretary of Dharmarth Karya Vibhag, Prayagraj’s Commissioner, District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Bara, the Executive Officer of Nagar Panchayat Shankargarh, and Mahendra Pratap Singh.
The judgment underscores the judiciary’s firm stance on preventing the misuse of PILs in private disputes, reaffirming that such petitions must concern public interest and not personal or property conflicts.
#AllahabadHighCourt #RamJankiTemple #Prayagraj #PILDismissed #PrivatePropertyDispute #JudicialRuling #UttarPradeshNews #TempleLandIssue #LegalUpdate #IndianJudiciary #HeritageTemple