SC appoints new administrator for Shani Shingnapur temple

Fri, 19 December 2025

21:17

File image of Shani Shingnapur temple

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the operation of the Bombay high court order restoring the control of the temple trust of the Shree Shanaishwar Devasthan at Shingnapur, saying it cannot put the crores of rupees of offerings made by devotees in the hand of a body, whose term is expiring on December 31.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, issued notice to the members of the temple trust on a plea of the Maharashtra government challenging the December 12 decision of the Aurangabad bench of the high court.

The bench entrusted the administration to Nashik divisional commissioner, who will be assisted by sub-divisional magistrates to look after the day-to-day affairs of the iconic temple.

"Let the operation of the December 12 order be stayed. The decisions of the collector are also stayed. Having gone through these orders, we direct the commissioner of Nashik division to be appointed as the administrator. Let the officer take charge over smooth day-to-day functioning of the temple," the bench ordered.

The top court said the arrangement will continue till a new committee is constituted to manage the affairs of the temple under the Shingnapur Trust Act, 2018.

"It is dangerous to put you (trust) in charge of hundreds of crores of offerings made by devotees at the time, when the term is set to expire on December 31. We are also not in favour of the administrator continuing as in-charge of the temple," the top court said, as it asked the state government to file a timeline indicating by what timeframe it would constitute the committee to administer the temple.

The bench, which was critical of the conduct of the collector handing over the charge of the temple to the trust without even waiting for the state to file the appeal against the high court order, said it appears the trustees are of immense political clout and the officer was under their influence. -- PTI

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