On 10 December, the Calcutta High Court announced that a fresh division bench will now handle the long‑standing question of whether the famous Dakshineswar Kali Temple—located in North 24 Parganas and linked to Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa—belongs to the public or is privately held.
The bench, composed of Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharya and Justice Supratim Bhattacharya, will take up the case. Although the ownership battle over this iconic shrine began years ago, no proceedings were held for the past few years.
In 2022, a public interest litigation was filed raising several concerns, including how the trustee board of the temple—established by the revered philanthropist Rani Rashmoni—elects its members.
The matter stalled for a long time, but on Wednesday all related filings were referred to the new division bench. The first hearing on the main issue is scheduled for 17 December.
Earlier, the High Court ordered that notices be sent to both the Union and West Bengal governments to clarify whether any central or state funds had been channeled to the temple trust.
Three years ago, the principal PIL highlighted that despite receiving ₹130 crore from the state government and ₹20 crore from the Union, the trustees failed to keep proper books for these contributions. The petitioners also accused the temple officials of irregularities in allocating shop and food stall spaces inside the complex, as well as in choosing the board members.
They sought a comprehensive investigation, either by a central agency such as the Enforcement Directorate or by a judicial committee chaired by a retired High Court justice.
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