SC to Revisit ISKCON Bengaluru Temple Ownership Dispute! 🏛️ #TempleTussle
SC to Revisit ISKCON Bengaluru Temple Ownership Dispute! 🏛️ #TempleTussle
Supreme Court considers a new bench for the long-standing ISKCON Bengaluru temple ownership battle. A major development in the spiritual vs. legal saga!
The Supreme Court is set to consider forming a new bench to hear a review plea regarding the contentious ownership of the iconic Hare Krishna temple and its associated educational complex in Bengaluru. This development, which occurred on Monday, August 17, 2026, marks another significant turn in the long-standing legal battle between ISKCON Bangalore and ISKCON Mumbai, which has seen multiple court rulings and a recent split verdict on a review petition.
The dispute dates back to a May 16, 2025, verdict by the Supreme Court. On that date, a bench had ruled decisively in favor of ISKCON Bangalore, affirming its ownership of the temple property and setting aside an earlier order by the Karnataka High Court that had sided with ISKCON Mumbai. The Supreme Court's 2025 ruling had specifically noted that ISKCON Mumbai had failed to provide sufficient evidence to support its claim of possession over the 'Schedule A' property.
Following this verdict, ISKCON Mumbai filed a review petition challenging the Supreme Court's May 2025 judgment. In November 2025, a two-judge Bench, including one of the judges from the original bench, delivered a split verdict on this review plea. One of the judges, Justice J.K. Maheshwari, found that ISKCON Mumbai had made a case for the review of the judgment, indicating the complexity and differing legal interpretations of the case.
On the latest occasion, a counsel representing ISKCON Mumbai urged a new Supreme Court Bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, to establish a fresh panel to decisively resolve the protracted dispute. The counsel highlighted that the review plea had previously been listed before different benches and had since remained unlisted, prolonging the uncertainty. The Chief Justice acknowledged the request, stating, "We will consider this," signaling a potential new phase in this high-profile religious and legal tussle over one of Bengaluru's prominent spiritual institutions.
