Puri, Nov 2 (UDN): In a significant victory for the Shree Jagannath Temple administration, 28.84 acres of disputed land in Puri have been restored in the name of Lord Jagannath following an order by the State Consolidation Commissioner.
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The valuable property, located at Shankarpur mouza under Puri tehsil, is situated adjacent to the Omkareshwar Temple and near the national highway. Officials estimate its market value to be more than Rs 600 crore.
According to reports, Consolidation Commissioner Prabir Kumar Nayak passed the order in OSS Revision Case No. 303/2016, setting aside the disputed land records and directing that the property be recorded in the name of Lord Jagannath through the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee.
How the Land Dispute Began
The dispute over the land dates back several decades to the 1962-63 Sabik settlement. At the time, the then Mahanta had reportedly gifted the property for the benefit of Lord Jagannath and requested that it be recorded in the deity’s name.
The Sabik Record of Rights, published in 1977, subsequently registered the land in the name of Shree Jagannath Mahaprabhu Bije, Puri, through the Uttar Parswa Math Endowment Trust Board. The deity’s name was also retained in the initial records during the consolidation proceedings.
However, the ownership records took a controversial turn in 2010.
On June 18, 2010, the Additional Sub-Collector of Puri passed an order transferring the land in favour of the Mahanta. The change was reportedly made without issuing notice to the temple administration. Within 26 days, Lord Jagannath’s name was removed from the land records.
A patta was subsequently issued in the Mahanta’s name in 2013, further complicating the ownership dispute.
Temple Administration Challenged the Land Transfer
Challenging the alteration of the ownership records, the Shree Jagannath Temple administration filed OSS Revision Case No. 303/2016 before the Consolidation Commissioner.
During the proceedings, the temple’s counsel, Ambika Prasad Mishra, presented historical land documents and judicial precedents to establish the deity’s ownership rights over the property.
After examining the records, Commissioner Prabir Kumar Nayak reportedly found that the original settlement documents clearly established the land’s ownership in favour of Lord Jagannath.
The Commissioner also pointed out procedural irregularities in the 2010 proceedings, particularly the failure to issue notices to the temple administration and the Endowment Commissioner before altering the ownership records.
Major Relief for Jagannath Temple Administration
The latest order marks a significant development in the temple administration’s efforts to protect properties associated with Lord Jagannath.
With the restoration of the 28.84-acre property, the temple administration has secured a major legal victory involving land estimated to be worth over Rs 600 crore.
The decision also underscores the importance of historical land records and due legal procedure in resolving long-standing property disputes involving religious endowments.
The restoration of the land is expected to strengthen the temple administration’s efforts to safeguard properties traditionally dedicated to Lord Jagannath.