Supreme Court bars Karnataka govt from removing chief priest of Koppal's Shri Anjaneya temple

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed Karnataka government to "faithfully" comply with an interim order of the High Court passed on a plea by Vidyadas Babaji against taking over of Shri Anjaneya temple, considered as the birthplace of Lord Hanuman, in Koppal, and his removal as a principal priest 'archak' over there.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Dipankar Datta issued notice to the state government after hearing advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain on behalf of the petitioner.

The court allowed the petitioner to continue duties as the priest of the temple as well as to stay in a single room along with all the basic amenities which were earlier provided to him. 

“Any defiance for non- compliance will be viewed seriously,” the bench cautioned the state authorities.

The petitioner challenged the High Court's April 9, 2025 order rejecting contempt petition against the state authorities.

Jain submitted that the petitioner was from Ramanandi Sampradaya and performed the role of the head priest in the temple. From the past 120 years, his Sampradaya was carrying on the worship of this temple's deity, but suddenly in 2018, in a completely illegal manner, this temple was acquired in violation of provisions of Karnataka Act, he contended.

The bench said, "We have seen the averments made in the contempt petition filed by the petitioner before the High Court. Issue notice. Meanwhile, the authorities are directed to faithfully comply with the interim order passed by the High Court on February 14, 2023."

The High Court had then directed the respondent authorities not to create any hindrance or obstruction to the petitioner from performing puja, Archak duties in the said temple, without any interruption or impediment or hindrance by any official.

The authorities were then also directed to not take any precipitative or coercive steps against the petitioner in relation to the subject temple or his residence.

On March 16, 2025 the Deputy Commissioner, Koppal and Assistant Commissioner, Koppal visited the temple with the Election Commissioner and forcibly appointed a third person to perform puja, obstructed the petitioner's duties, and threatened him, the petitioner claimed. 

"When the petitioner questioned the respondents' actions, they threatened him and used abusive language. They instructed him to "mind his own business" and declared that the puja and other duties would be performed solely by the third person they appointed. This intimidation was intended to suppress the petitioner's objections and enforce the unauthorized replacement," the plea said.

This action was intended to harass the petitioner and force him to vacate the premises, directly violating the interim order's prohibition of coercive steps against his residence, it alleged.

The petitioner filed a civil contempt petition, which was dismissed by the High Court on April 9, 2025.

The actions obstructing the religious duties, threatening, and disruption of the residence of the petitioner violated his rights to life, livelihood, and freedom of religion under Articles 21 and 25 of the Constitution, the plea said.

The High Court ignored the allegations of continuous harassment since February 14, 2023, including utility disruption, defamatory campaigns and attempt to frame the petitioner in a drug case, the plea contended.

The District Collector, Koppal had passed an order allegedly under Section 23 of the Kamataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1997 to acquire the temple of Lord Hanuman's birthplace commonly known as Anjaneya Temple situated at Anjanadri Hills within the Chikkarampur Village, Gangavathi Taluka, District Koppal, Kamataka.