Odisha govt orders fast-track of 11,675 Jagannath Temple land cases
Synopsis
Odisha has put its revenue machinery on notice: over 11,675 pending land cases tied to Lord Jagannath's properties must be resolved without delay. With field inspections ordered, historical Records of Rights going back to 1888-89 under review, and a monthly accountability mechanism in place, this is the most comprehensive administrative push yet to secure the Puri temple's endowments from encroachment and fraudulent claims.
Key Takeaways
The Odisha Government on 14 July 2025 directed revenue authorities to fast-track all land cases related to Lord Shree Jagannatha Mahaprabhu's properties.
11,675 miscellaneous revenue cases filed by the SJTA across 9 districts must be expedited in line with Board of Revenue directions from 27 October 2022 .
257 cases under Section 7(A) of the Odisha Estates Abolition Act require immediate implementation of existing orders.
Historical Records of Rights dating to 1888-89 are to be examined to correct Khewat entries in line with a Supreme Court ruling that set aside a 1974 vesting notification.
Revenue Inspectors and Amins will be deployed for field verification; monthly progress reports mandated to the department.
The Odisha Government has directed revenue authorities across the state to treat the protection and management of lands belonging to Lord Shree Jagannatha Mahaprabhu as a top administrative priority, ordering time-bound disposal of over 11,675 pending revenue cases linked to the deity's properties. The directive was issued on Monday, 14 July 2025, from Bhubaneswar, signalling a significant escalation in the state's effort to safeguard temple endowments from encroachment and fraudulent claims.
The Directive and Its Scope
Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Arabinda Kumar Padhee, wrote to the Board of Revenue, all Revenue Divisional Commissioners (RDCs), District Collectors, and the Director of Land Records and Survey (DLRS), mandating immediate and structured action. The letter makes clear that several issues concerning the recording, protection and management of temple lands in Bije Puri require urgent administrative intervention.
Revenue officers have been instructed to act strictly in accordance with law, government instructions, and court orders communicated by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).
Key Developments in the Land Cases
The department has ordered expedited disposal of 11,675 miscellaneous revenue cases filed by the SJTA before various Tahasils spanning nine districts — Khordha, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Ganjam, Cuttack, and Kendrapara. These cases are to be resolved in compliance with the Board of Revenue's directions communicated via Letter No. 1958 dated 27 October 2022.
Additionally, immediate implementation has been ordered for the Board of Revenue's orders in 257 cases filed under Section 7(A) of the Odisha Estates Abolition Act, copies of which have already been sent to the respective Tahasildars.
Historical Records and Khewat Corrections
Officials have been directed to examine historical Records of Rights (RoRs) — including those of 1888-89, 1925-26, 1927-28, 1929-30, and 1977-78 — to correct Khewat entries wherever warranted and ensure proper recording of the temple's endowment properties. Notably, this exercise is informed by the Supreme Court's decision setting aside the vesting notification dated 18 March 1974 under the Odisha Estates Abolition Act.
Authenticated copies of pre-settlement and settlement Records of Rights, along with settlement-to-current record correlation reports, are to be provided to the SJTA at the earliest to facilitate case disposal before the Board of Revenue.
Field Deployment and Anti-Encroachment Measures
Revenue Inspectors, Amins, and experienced field-level officials will be deployed to identify, verify, and protect Lord Jagannath's lands on the ground. Regular field inspections have been mandated to prevent illegal encroachment, unauthorised occupation, fraudulent claims, and attempts to create private interests over temple properties.
Progress on all these matters will be reviewed regularly in monthly district-, sub-divisional-, and Tahasil-level revenue meetings, with a monthly progress report to be submitted to the department.
What Comes Next
The state administration has also asked all district offices to take proactive measures to ensure lawful management of the temple's landed properties while minimising unnecessary litigation. With over eleven thousand cases pending across nine districts, the directive sets a clear accountability trail — and the monthly review mechanism will be the real test of whether this administrative push translates into on-ground results.
Point of View
675 pending revenue cases across nine districts is not a bureaucratic backlog — it is a structural vulnerability in the protection of one of India's most significant religious endowments. The directive's strength lies in its specificity: named officials, named districts, a named 2022 Board of Revenue letter, and a monthly review mechanism. What past such orders have lacked is follow-through, and the Supreme Court's setting aside of the 1974 vesting notification adds legal urgency that cannot be deferred. The real accountability test will come at the first monthly district review — whether the progress reports are substantive or ceremonial will determine if this directive moves the needle or joins a long line of well-intentioned circulars that did not.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the Odisha government issued this directive on Jagannath Temple land cases?
The Odisha Government issued the directive because several issues relating to the recording, protection and management of lands belonging to Lord Shree Jagannatha Mahaprabhu were brought to its notice as requiring urgent attention. The order mandates time-bound disposal of over 11,675 pending revenue cases and immediate field action to prevent encroachment and fraudulent claims on temple properties.
How many revenue cases relating to Jagannath Temple land are pending?
According to the directive, 11,675 miscellaneous revenue cases filed by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) are pending before various Tahasils across nine Odisha districts. An additional 257 cases filed under Section 7(A) of the Odisha Estates Abolition Act also require immediate action.
Which districts are covered under this land protection order?
The directive covers nine districts: Khordha, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Ganjam, Cuttack, and Kendrapara, where the SJTA has filed miscellaneous revenue cases before local Tahasils.
What role does the Supreme Court ruling play in this directive?
The Supreme Court set aside the vesting notification dated 18 March 1974 under the Odisha Estates Abolition Act, which affects how temple land ownership is recorded. Officials have been directed to examine historical Records of Rights — some dating to 1888-89 — and correct Khewat entries in line with this judicial finding.
How will the Odisha government monitor progress on these cases?
Progress will be reviewed regularly at monthly district-, sub-divisional-, and Tahasil-level revenue meetings. Each unit is required to furnish a monthly progress report to the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, creating a formal accountability trail for the directive.
