Did the Supreme Court's Verdict on ISKCON Bangalore Change the Course of Hare Krishna Temple Management?

New Delhi, May 16 (NationPress) In a historic ruling, the Supreme Court of India has delivered a verdict favoring ISKCON Bangalore in a protracted legal dispute regarding the ownership and management of the renowned Hare Krishna temple in Bengaluru. This eagerly anticipated decision has been celebrated by the President of ISKCON Bangalore.

The judgment puts an end to a 25-year conflict between ISKCON Bangalore and ISKCON Mumbai, affirming that the temple and its assets are the rightful property of the Karnataka-based ISKCON Bangalore society.

A bench of Justices A.S. Oka and Augustine George Masih issued the ruling, reversing a previous decision by the Karnataka High Court that had sided with ISKCON Mumbai.

The apex court reinstated a 2009 trial court order recognizing ISKCON Bangalore’s legitimate ownership of the temple and granted a permanent injunction against ISKCON Mumbai from interfering in its operations.

Describing the ruling as “historic,” ISKCON Bangalore President Madhu Pandit Dasa expressed that the decision substantiates their enduring stance and spiritual interpretation based on the teachings of ISKCON founder Srila Prabhupada.

He stressed that the core issue has always been ideological, focusing on Prabhupada’s guidance that his followers should act as representatives rather than appointing new gurus.

Dasa noted that ISKCON Bangalore has adhered to this principle, while ISKCON Mumbai has advocated for the appointment of successor gurus.

The legal struggle began when ISKCON Mumbai sought to assert control over ISKCON Bangalore’s operations and assets, claiming that all properties fell under a central society's jurisdiction. ISKCON Bangalore countered that it is an independent society registered under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act and that the land for the Bengaluru temple was specifically allocated to the state-registered body by the Bangalore Development Authority.

In conversation with IANS, Advocate Vikas Singh Jangra, representing ISKCON Bangalore, remarked that this ruling is the culmination of nearly 25 years of legal determination. He underscored the significance of the Supreme Court's acknowledgment of the Karnataka society’s independent status, confirming it as the rightful owner of the Bengaluru temple and other related properties.

This decision also reinforces ISKCON Bangalore’s ongoing activities, including its management of over 24 temples throughout India and the Akshaya Patra Foundation, which provides mid-day meals to more than 2.2 million children daily. The organization also manages significant projects like the Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir.

According to Madhu Pandit Dasa, this ruling allows ISKCON Bangalore to continue its expansion of spiritual and charitable initiatives under the ISKCON banner. To differentiate themselves ideologically, the group intends to operate under the name ISKCON-Hare Krishna Movement (ISKCON-HKM), where Srila Prabhupada remains the sole Acharya.