Uttar Pradesh Notifies Formation of Shri Banke Bihari Temple Trust Following Supreme Court Directive
2025.05.26 (Vrindavan Today News): In a contentious move, the Government of Uttar Pradesh has officially notified the formation of the Shri Banke Bihari Ji Mandir Nyas Trust, which will oversee the development and management of the iconic Shri Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan. The notification took place after the direction from the Supreme Court of India. The notification was formally issued today by the Hon’ble Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Anandiben Patel, marking a major administrative restructuring of one of the most revered temples in the country.
Structure of the Trust
As per the official gazette, the newly constituted Shri Banke Bihari Ji Mandir Nyas will consist of 18 members, meticulously selected to represent a balance between government oversight and religious, spiritual, and social leadership. These members are classified into two categories:
1. Ex-officio Government Officials (7 members):
District Magistrate (DM)
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP)
Municipal Commissioner
Chief Executive Officer, Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad
An official from the Uttar Pradesh Department of Religious Affairs
Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Banke Bihari Temple
Additional government representative as deemed necessary
2. Nominated Eminent Members (11 members):
This group includes saints, spiritual leaders, scholars, entrepreneurs, educationists, social workers, and key traditional stakeholders of the temple. Specifically, two Sevayats (hereditary priests), one from the lineage of Shri Haridas Ji representing Rajbhog Seva and another representing Shayan Bhog Seva, will be included. The aim is to preserve the temple’s age-old spiritual practices while aligning them with modern governance.
Notably, the trust ensures religious integrity by requiring all members to be practicing Hindus who follow the Sanātana Dharma. Moreover, any individual convicted by a court of law will be disqualified from serving as a member. In case of resignation, death, or any other cause leading to vacancy, the new appointment will be made through a majority vote by the existing trust members.
Key Governance Guidelines
Each member will serve a term of three years, and no individual may be appointed more than twice. The board is mandated to convene at least once every three months, ensuring consistent oversight and decision-making.
One of the most significant provisions of the notification is the limited voting rights for government officials. Although they will participate in deliberations and offer guidance, they will not possess voting rights in board decisions. This critical clause underscores the intent to allow spiritual and community leadership to maintain primacy in the trust’s decision-making processes while benefiting from administrative insight.
Sources have indicated that the Yogi Adityanath government is likely to announce the appointment of a senior officer as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the temple trust in the coming days. This move is expected to bring administrative professionalism and infrastructural momentum to the ongoing and proposed projects, including the much-debated Banke Bihari Temple Corridor.
Legal Challenge in the Supreme Court
Meanwhile, the reconstitution of temple management is set against the backdrop of an ongoing legal challenge. Prominent Sevayat petitioners Rasik Raj Goswami and Devendra Nath Goswami have filed a review petition in the Supreme Court, contesting aspects of the corridor development project and the restructuring of temple authority. The apex court is scheduled to hear the case tomorrow, May 27, which may have significant implications on the operationalization of the new trust and the future of the temple corridor project.
A Landmark Move for Pilgrimage Infrastructure and Temple Governance
The notification represents a landmark shift in the governance of one of India’s most spiritually significant temples, combining traditional custodianship with modern institutional oversight. The Shri Banke Bihari Temple attracts millions of devotees each year, and the new trust is expected to not only streamline pilgrimage management but also protect the sanctity and heritage of the temple in a rapidly modernizing religious landscape.
As Vrindavan stands on the brink of transformation with the proposed corridor project and broader development under the U.P. Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad, all eyes will be on the implementation of this new administrative framework and the Supreme Court’s forthcoming judgment.
