Supreme Court Grants ISKCON Bengaluru Control of Iconic Hare Krishna Temple
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday resolved a decades-long dispute, ruling that the Hare Krishna temple in Bengaluru is under the ownership of the ISKCON Society Bengaluru. The decision overturned a Karnataka High Court verdict that had previously favored ISKCON Mumbai in the battle for control over the prominent temple and its associated educational complex.
A bench led by Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih delivered the judgment, siding with ISKCON Bengaluru’s appeal filed on June 2, 2011. The appeal challenged the Karnataka High Court’s May 23, 2011, ruling, which had reversed a 2009 local court order recognizing ISKCON Bengaluru’s legal title to the temple and issuing a permanent injunction against ISKCON Mumbai.
The legal conflict centered on competing claims between two societies sharing similar names and spiritual goals. ISKCON Bengaluru, registered under Karnataka’s laws, asserted its independent operation and management of the temple for years. Conversely, ISKCON Mumbai, registered under the national Societies Registration Act of 1860 and the Bombay Public Trusts Act of 1950, argued that ISKCON Bengaluru was merely a branch and that the temple property fell under its authority.
Represented by office-bearer Kodandarama Dasa, ISKCON Bengaluru’s plea succeeded in convincing the Supreme Court to restore its control over the temple, marking a significant victory in the protracted legal struggle.
