Bringing an end to a decade-long legal battle over the control of the iconic Hare Krishna temple and educational complex in Bengaluru, the Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the property rightfully belongs to ISKCON Society Bangalore.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih allowed the plea filed by ISKCON Bangalore challenging a 2011 Karnataka High Court judgment that had ruled in favour of ISKCON Mumbai. The apex court’s ruling reinstates the 2009 verdict of a Bengaluru trial court that had earlier recognized ISKCON Bangalore’s legal ownership and issued a permanent injunction against any claim by ISKCON Mumbai.
The verdict brings clarity to a long-standing dispute between two organizations with similar names, spiritual missions, and overlapping religious affiliations. The crux of the matter was the control and ownership of the Bengaluru temple complex, a prominent religious and cultural hub in the city.
ISKCON Bangalore, a society registered under Karnataka law, has maintained that it functions as an independent entity and has been managing the Bengaluru temple autonomously for decades. The society argued that it is not subordinate to ISKCON Mumbai, which is registered under the national Societies Registration Act of 1860 and the Bombay Public Trusts Act of 1950.
ISKCON Mumbai, on the other hand, had claimed that ISKCON Bangalore was merely a branch operating under its larger umbrella and that the temple property falls within its legal jurisdiction.
The Supreme Court’s decision in favour of ISKCON Bangalore not only restores its control over the temple complex but also affirms its independent legal identity. The judgment is expected to have significant implications for the administration of ISKCON temples and organizations across the country.
