New Delhi: Ina setback to the Uttar Pradesh government, the Supreme Court on Monday said it would keep in abeyance its May 15 nod to the ambitious scheme to develop the Shri Banke Bihari Temple Corridor at Vrindavan in Mathura for the benefit of devotees as main stakeholders were not heard.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi deprecated the approach of the state government in moving the court in “clandestine manner” and questioned the hurry for enacting an ordinance Uttar Pradesh Shri Bankey Bihari Ji Temple Trust Ordinance, 2025 to take over the management of the ancient temple. The top court said it would appoint a committee headed by a retired high court or district judge to manage the affairs of the temple in the interest of lakhs of devotees besides including the main stakeholders in the managing committee.

The bench told Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, “Less said the better. How do you justify the directions passed by the court? The state in the most unfortunate way came to the court in the most clandestine manner without informing the court receiver or stakeholders (members of the family who claimed to be the owner of the temple). Get the directions behind their back and set aside the order of the high court. This is the least thing we expect from the state.”

The top court at present is not adjudicating the constitutionality of the ordinance and the high court will look into it. The bench asked Nataraj to seek instructions while deciding to pass an order on August 5 to keep the May 15 order in abeyance and appoint someone as the managing trustee of the temple to look after the daily affairs.

“This is the land of lord Krishna. He was the first mediator known to the world. Let’s find a way out to resolve the dispute pending for years and develop the area in the interest of lakhs of devotees who visit these iconic religious places. Basic amenities need to be created as nowadays religious tourism is one of the biggest sources of revenue,” the bench said.

It assured all the stakeholders, including several warring factions, who claim to be owners of the temple that some responsible person would be given charge to manage the affairs of the temple aside from a mandate to develop the adjoining areas and small temples in nearby localities.