High Court Dismisses PIL Over Ram Janki Temple Construction

The Allahabad High Court dismissed a public-interest litigation (PIL) aiming to halt alleged illegal construction at Ram Janki temple, Shankargarh, citing its private ownership. The division bench noted the challenge was beyond their intervention as the land belongs to Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, a respondent in the case.

The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a PIL seeking to stop alleged illegal construction at the historic Ram Janki Temple in Shankargarh, stating that it cannot intervene in cases concerning private or non-governmental properties.

The division bench, led by Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra, underscored that the temple stands on private property owned by Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, one of the respondents. Despite the petitioner's claims, the court ruled that public interest litigation couldn't target private assets.

The petition, filed by Ghanshyam Prasad Kesarwani, sought both a halt to the construction and legal action against Singh. Authorities named in the petition included Prayagraj's district officials and the Shankargarh Nagar Panchayat. However, the court reiterated that the petitioner remains free to pursue other legal avenues.