Supreme Court Clarity on Devasthanam Funding

The Supreme Court of India has delivered a significant ruling regarding temple assets. The Court clarified that the funds donated to temples are offerings from devotees and must be treated strictly as the property of the deity. It emphasized that these funds cannot be diverted for other institutional needs, especially for supporting the survival or functioning of cooperative banks.

The cooperative banks had challenged the Kerala High Court’s decision, which directed them to return the deposits made by the temple. However, after reviewing the case, the bench led by Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant upheld the High Court’s ruling, stating there was no error in its judgment.

The Supreme Court further made it clear that temple funds should be used solely for temple-related purposes and that using them to strengthen the financial condition of banks is not legally permissible.