The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has received over 5,200 applications for the post of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), with the selection process now expected to conclude within four weeks, trust officials announced following a special meeting held inside the temple complex in Ayodhya on Wednesday, 22 July.

Key Decisions from the Special Meeting

The special meeting was convened to address several pressing organisational matters: the appointment of a new General Secretary, filling three vacant Trustee posts, and finalising the appointment of Ram Mandir's first-ever CEO. The meeting comes amid an ongoing row over alleged donation misappropriation at the shrine.

Interim General Secretary Krishna Mohan told reporters that the sheer volume of CEO applications prompted the Trust's Board to extend the selection timeline by four weeks. He also maintained that despite what he described as 'malicious propaganda' surrounding the donation controversy, devotee footfall at the temple has remained steady.

Nine-Member Religious Committee Reconstituted

Temple Treasurer Govind Dev Giri announced that a nine-member religious committee has been reconstituted to oversee the temple's religious arrangements and ensure strict adherence to prescribed rituals. The committee will comprise five members from the Ayodhya saint community and four representatives from other temple trusts.

'The religious committee will ensure that the daily temple rituals in Ram temple adhere to Vedic Ramanandi traditions,' Giri said. He added that five Ayodhya saints will be specifically responsible for the daily service and religious duties at the temple.

Permanent Priest Training Institute Planned

In a significant institutional move, the Trust has decided to establish a permanent priest training institute, to be certified by the Ram Temple Trust itself. Giri said the institute would train priests for 14 temples currently under the Trust's purview, with an ambition to extend training to priests across the country and internationally.

'We want our priests to be known everywhere. We will teach priests across the world about religious rituals,' Giri said.

Donation Controversy: SIT Report Still Awaited

On the question of alleged irregularities in the offering-counting process — which has drawn significant public and political attention — the Trust clarified that no formal discussion could take place at Wednesday's meeting, as the final report from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the matter has not yet been submitted. The Trust indicated that deliberations on the controversy will resume once the SIT's findings are received.

With the CEO selection process now formally underway and structural reforms in governance and religious oversight taking shape, the Trust appears to be moving toward a more institutionalised management framework for one of India's most prominent religious sites.