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SC restores Kamakhya Bordeori Samaj authority

By Spl correspondent

NEW DELHI, July 7 � The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the verdict of the Gauhati High Court paving the way for the dolois of Kamakhya to run the affairs of the historic temple.

A Division Bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice Ibrahim Khalifulla and Justice Shiv Kanti Singh today disposed off the Special Leave Petition (Civil) filed by the Debuttor Board challenging the judgement of the Gauhati High Court.

The Supreme Court has ruled that the temple would run like it has historically functioned under the dolois, thereby restoring the authority of the Kamakhya Bordeori Samaj.

The dispute over the administration of the historic Kamakhya temple between the society which elects the dolois and the Kamakhya Debuttor Board was pending settlement since long.

The Supreme Court had issued notice on the Special Leave Petition [SLP] (Civil) filed by the Debuttor Board against the judgement and order passed by the court of Justice Amitav Roy and Justice Hareswar Barua of the Gauhati High Court on October 25, 2011.

The Gauhati High Court in the same order had directed Kamrup (Metro) Deputy Commissioner to conduct elections to the post of doloi within three months.

The tradition of a doloi from among the priests of the Bordeori Samaj came to a halt in 1996 as the Kamakhya Debuttor Board took over the authority from the then doloi. After the order of the court went in favour of the Kamakhya Bordeuri Samaj, the Kamakhya Debuttor Board approached the Supreme Court.

Significantly, the Supreme Court had in February 2012 directed the Kamrup (Metro) district administration to hand over the possession of the office of the Kamakhya Debuttor Board.

The Supreme Court order further stated that the dolois of the temple should restrict themselves only to offering pujas inside the temple and they are not to interfere with the matters related to temple administration. The Debuttor Board was to exercise the administrative powers in matters of running the temple affairs.

The Supreme Court also asked the Kamrup (Metro) district administration to prepare an inventory of the precious items stored in the storehouse (bharal) of the temple in response to the prayer made by the administrator of the Debuttor Board.

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