ISKCON Mumbai Vs ISKON Bengaluru: Supreme Court orders Hare Krishna temple in Bengaluru belongs to ISKCON Bengaluru

ISKCON Bengaluru wins legal battle over Hare Krishna temple ownership

In the 25-year-long court battle between ISKCON’s Mumbai and Bengaluru units, the Supreme Court on Friday held that the Hare Krishna temple in Bengaluru belongs to the ISKCON Society in the city. The apex court allowed the plea of ISKCON Bangalore challenging a Karnataka High Court order that ruled in favour of ISKCON Mumbai over control of the iconic temple and educational complex in Bengaluru. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih set aside the order of the Karnataka High Court, which held the property belonged to the ISKCON Society, Mumbai.

The bench said the trial court also recorded a finding that no evidence was produced by ISKCON Mumbai about its possession of the Schedule “A” property, and there was absolutely no evidence to support its claim. “As the application for allotment was made by ISKCON Bangalore and as pursuant to the application, the sale deed was executed in favour of ISKCON Bangalore, the entire discussion by the High Court about so-called manipulations made by Madhu Pandit, Bhakti Lata Devi Dasi, Chanchalapati Dasa, Chamari Devi Dasi was not relevant at all,” said Supreme Court.

The verdict said even if it was assumed that the rubber stamp of ISKCON Bangalore was affixed on certain documents subsequently, it was “crystal clear” that the Schedule “A” property was allotted by the Bangalore Development Authority to ISKCON Bangalore, and ISKCON Bangalore was an independent society registered under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act. The apex court said the High Court’s finding that ISKCON Mumbai, through its branch in Bangalore, was the owner of the schedule property was “completely erroneous” and deserved to be set aside.

“It is completely contrary to the documentary evidence. Even assuming that ISKCON Bangalore did not possess funds, and even if money came from ISKCON Mumbai, it cannot claim ownership. Only because the existence of the Bangalore branch of ISKCON Mumbai was proved, one cannot jump to the conclusion that allotment of Schedule ‘A‘ property was to ISKCON Mumbai through the Bangalore branch,” the bench said.

Reacting on the SC judgement, Sri Madhu Pandit Dasa, president, ISKCON Bangalore, Founder and Chairman of The Akshaya Patra Foundation, Chairman and Mentor Global Hare Krishna Movement said the internal ISKCON battle was against self-proclaimed gurus who claimed to be successors to Srila Prabhupada, the founder Acharya of ISKCON, without being authorised by Srila Prabhupada before his Maha Samadhi.

“Today, the 25-year-old court battle has been concluded by the Supreme Court by its verdict that BDA had allotted temple land of ISKCON Bangalore society in 1988 – an independent ISKCON society registered in Bangalore – and the property and funds to build the temple were raised in Bangalore. ISKCON Mumbai has been injuncted from interfering with the management of ISKCON Bangalore. They can no longer expel from ISKCON thousands of devotees who want to accept only Srila Prabhupada as the sole Acharya of ISKCON,” a release said.

ISKCON Bangalore moved the top court on June 2, 2011, against the May 23, 201,1, high court verdict and represented by its office-bearer Kodandarama Dasa, contested the high court judgment that overturned a 2009 order of a local court in Bengaluru.

The trial court had ruled in favour of ISKCON Bangalore, recognizing its legal title and granting a permanent injunction against ISKCON Mumbai. However, the High Court reversed this ruling and upheld a counterclaim by ISKCON Mumbai, effectively granting them control over the temple. The societies with similar names and spiritual missions were pitted against each other in the legal battle. While ISKCON Bangalore, a Karnataka-registered society, contended it had been operating independently and managing the Bengaluru temple for decades, ISKCON Mumbai, registered under the National Societies Registration Act of 1860 and the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950, claimed rights over the property and said ISKCON Bangalore was merely its branch.

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