Ram Temple Trust to be Reorganized as Public Trust, Nirmohi Akhara Urges Supreme Court

The Nirmohi Akhara has filed petitions in the Supreme Court requesting that the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which administers the Ayodhya Ram Temple, be reconstituted as a public trust. The petition seeks a forensic audit of the trust’s finances, greater transparency, and the inclusion of representatives from the Ramnandi Bairagi sect on an oversight committee. It also asks the central government to issue guidelines for appointing trustees and to ensure that all religious rites follow the sect’s long‑standing traditions. The akhara cites allegations of large‑scale embezzlement of cash and valuables from the temple, prompting the Uttar Pradesh government to set up a Special Investigation Team. The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing on the matter for July 20, after which further orders are expected.

The filing references the Supreme Court’s historic November 2019 judgment that cleared the way for the temple’s construction, arguing that the current private‑trust structure does not reflect that decision’s spirit. The akhara’s demand aims to align the trust’s governance with that judgment and to provide accountable management of the temple’s assets and rituals.