The Uttarakhand High Court has directed the state government and the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee to file their responses within three weeks on a public interest litigation alleging misuse of funds released for repair works of the Badrinath and Kedarnath temples between 2012 and 2017.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Subhash Upadhyay passed the order while hearing a PIL filed by Rishikesh resident Amit Sharma. The Court has listed the matter for further hearing after three weeks.
The petition claims that funds sanctioned for the repair and restoration of the Badrinath and Kedarnath temples were misused during the period from 2012 to 2017. It further alleges that:
- Expenditure was incurred on temples that do not fall within the jurisdiction of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee.
- Several appointments to temple services were made illegally without following prescribed procedures.
- Preferential appointments were allegedly granted to select individuals in violation of applicable rules and approval mechanisms.
The petitioner has sought a direction from the High Court for an investigation into the alleged financial irregularities and administrative lapses.
Without entering into the merits of the allegations at this stage, the Bench directed the state government and the temple committee to place their replies on record within three weeks, after which the matter will be taken up for further consideration.
The case will now be heard after the completion of pleadings.
