Deccan Chronicle: While the civil court declared the Bengaluru society as a separate
entity entitled to control all Iskcon properties in Karnataka in an
order of 2001, the Karnataka high court set it aside in its verdict in
2009 stating that the Bengaluru Iskcon society had “failed” to prove its
“title” over the properties in Karnataka.
And thus the legal battle finally shifted to the Supreme Court in 2011 with the Bengaluru society challenging the HC verdict with its counsel pointing out at least 10 alleged legal and factual “flaws” in the HC judgment. The SC while admitting the appeal last year, had passed an order for maintaining the status quo, which means that the Bengaluru society would continue to look after the day-to-day affairs of Iskcon temple in Bengaluru and its various other welfare projects. The major “flaw” pointed out in the appeal by Iskcon’s Karnataka chapter was that since both Mumbai and Bengaluru societies were registered as separate entities then how could the former have control over the latter.
The Bengaluru Development Authority records clearly showed that it had signed the land transfer deed for the temple and other related buildings with the Bengaluru Iskcon trust and Mumbai is nowhere in the picture.
Bombay trust’s claim was that the Bengaluru Iskcon society was only an extension of the movement, which set its feet in the land of the birth of Lord Krishna in 1971 with the aim to spread its activities in the country to make aware of the “Krishna consciousness”, therefore, any society registered in a particular state could not claim itself to be “independent” entity.
And thus the legal battle finally shifted to the Supreme Court in 2011 with the Bengaluru society challenging the HC verdict with its counsel pointing out at least 10 alleged legal and factual “flaws” in the HC judgment. The SC while admitting the appeal last year, had passed an order for maintaining the status quo, which means that the Bengaluru society would continue to look after the day-to-day affairs of Iskcon temple in Bengaluru and its various other welfare projects. The major “flaw” pointed out in the appeal by Iskcon’s Karnataka chapter was that since both Mumbai and Bengaluru societies were registered as separate entities then how could the former have control over the latter.
The Bengaluru Development Authority records clearly showed that it had signed the land transfer deed for the temple and other related buildings with the Bengaluru Iskcon trust and Mumbai is nowhere in the picture.
Bombay trust’s claim was that the Bengaluru Iskcon society was only an extension of the movement, which set its feet in the land of the birth of Lord Krishna in 1971 with the aim to spread its activities in the country to make aware of the “Krishna consciousness”, therefore, any society registered in a particular state could not claim itself to be “independent” entity.
The Asian Age: Two factions of the India chapter of the International Society for
Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) are locked in an intense legal battle in
the Supreme Court over the control of its Bengaluru temple, with the
Karnataka society claiming total “independence” from the Mumbai Iskcon
trust, the first to be established in India.
The matter was listed before a bench of Justices Altamas Kabir and S.S. Nijjar last week, but could not be put up for final arguments. A large number of Krishna devotees had flocked to the court anticipating an order.
While Iskcon’s Mumbai chapter was registered as a trust in 1971, the Bengaluru chapter was registered only in 1978.
As certain theological differences arose among Iskcon followers worldwide, it also led to a split in India. The Mumbai and Bengaluru societies have been engaged in a protracted legal battle over control of the Karnataka chapter. A suit was filed in a Bengaluru court accusing the Mumbai trust of taking possession of the Karnataka property “forcibly”.
The matter was listed before a bench of Justices Altamas Kabir and S.S. Nijjar last week, but could not be put up for final arguments. A large number of Krishna devotees had flocked to the court anticipating an order.
While Iskcon’s Mumbai chapter was registered as a trust in 1971, the Bengaluru chapter was registered only in 1978.
As certain theological differences arose among Iskcon followers worldwide, it also led to a split in India. The Mumbai and Bengaluru societies have been engaged in a protracted legal battle over control of the Karnataka chapter. A suit was filed in a Bengaluru court accusing the Mumbai trust of taking possession of the Karnataka property “forcibly”.
