Bhubaneswar: Following Orissa High Court’s order, the State Government today formed a high-level committee headed by retired judge of Supreme Court, Justice Arijit Pasayat for inventory of valuables stored inside the Ratna Bhandar of Jagannath Temple, Puri.
The 12-member panel will supervise the preparation of the inventory of Lord Jagannath’s jewelleries and various valuables stored in the Treasury.
The other members of the Committee includes renowned cardiologist Dr. Ramakant Panda, (Vice President of the panel), former CMD of Allahabad Bank Dr. Vidhushan Samal, Chartered Accountant A.K. Sabat, representative of Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, Representative of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Sevayat representatives Durgaprasad Das Mohapatra, Madhav Chandra Mohapatra, Jagannath Kar, and Ratna Bhandar’s Ganesh Mekap.
Besides, Puri District Collector and Deputy Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple and Chief Administrator of the SJTA will be the member convenor of the Committee.
On September 29, 2023, the HC had directed the State Government to constitute a high-level Committee, if the Puri Jagannath Temple management approaches it, for supervising the process of inventory of the valuables stored in the Ratna Bhandar of the 12th century shrine.
The court said the government has to form such a panel within 60 days from the date when the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC) approaches. The committee will assist the SJTMC in carrying out inventory of the valuables, the HC said.
The HC had also endorsed the decision of SJTMC to form such a panel by the government led by a retired high court or Supreme Court judge to supervise the process.
The court had pronounced its judgment while hearing a petition filed by senior BJP leader Samir Mohanty.
As the Opposition parties especially BJP has been targeting the BJD Government demanding reopening of Ratna Bhandar, the Government’s move will now keep them silent on the issue during the upcoming polls.