Madhya Pradesh High Court Affirms Administrative Control Over VIP Access to Mahakaleshwar Temple Sanctum

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has determined that the entry of VIPs into the Mahakaleshwar temple's sanctum is solely at the discretion of the temple administration. The court dismissed a petition claiming discrimination against common visitors.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court's Indore bench has clarified that allowing VIPs into the sanctum sanctorum of Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar temple is an administrative decision. The court declined to intervene, noting that no law defines a VIP. This decision came while dismissing a PIL filed by Darpan Awasthi, an Indore resident.

The petitioner argued that certain individuals, termed as VIPs, are permitted to offer water inside the temple's garbhagriha, while ordinary devotees are not. This, according to Awasthi, constitutes discrimination and arbitrary action by the temple administration. However, the court found no specific prohibition against entry into the garbhagriha for VIPs.

VIP Entry at Mahakaleshwar Temple

The court highlighted that VIP entry is subject to the discretion of the Collector and Administrator of the Mahakaleshwar Mandir Management Committee. "The petitioner has produced the minutes of the Managing Committee of Mahakaleshwar Mandir, which show that there is no specific prohibition in respect of entering into the garbhagriha," it stated.

The court further explained that on any given day, the Collector can decide who qualifies as a VIP based on their status. There is no permanent list or protocol for identifying VIPs at the temple. "Therefore, who is VIP in the opinion of Collector and Administrator of Mahakaleshwar cannot be decided in a writ petition, which is purely a discretion of the competent authority," it said.

Discretionary Authority

The absence of a statutory definition for VIPs means that anyone granted permission by authorities can be considered a VIP for a specific time. This practice is common across religious sites in India. The court noted that this system applies universally to religious places in India.

Ujjain, located about 50 km from Indore, is a significant religious tourism hub. The Mahakaleshwar temple attracts numerous devotees as it is one of Lord Shiva's 12 jyotirlingas. The court observed that Awasthi seemed personally aggrieved, rendering his petition inadmissible.

"The petitioner appears to be a personally aggrieved person, hence, writ petition at the instance of petitioner is not maintainable," noted the HC. This ruling underscores that decisions regarding VIP access remain within administrative purview and are not subject to judicial determination.

With inputs from PTI