Srimandir Ratna Bhandar: Orissa HC Serves Notices to 4 Including Gajapti Divyasingha Deva

Cuttack: While hearing a petition seeking judicial intervention for the opening of the inner Ratna Bhandar of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, the Orissa High Court on Wednesday issued notices to four persons, including Puri Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deva.

This public interest litigation (PIL) petition was filed by BJP leader Samir Mohanty.

Apart from the Gajapati Maharaja, the others who served notices by the High Court were the chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA)  Ranjan Kumar Das, DG of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and its superintendent.

The court will hold the next hearing of the petition on August 7.

Through the petition, Samir Mohanty had urged High Court’s direction for an inventory of all the valuables inside the Ratna Bhandar and its repair.

He also wanted the constitution of a high-power committee under the chairmanship of the Governor of Odisha or a sitting judge of the Orissa High Court to supervise the preparation of the inventory of the Ratna Bhandar.