The Supreme Court On Wednesday issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh Government on a plea seeking restoration of the day to day activities of the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. The petition sought that U. P. Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act, 1983 be struck down as it has run its course and to restore the administration and management and to conduct religious affairs as existed prior to the ordinance to the Lingiya Brahmin Family
The petition filed had outlined that the petitioners had complete control over the day to day religious affairs, “the forefathers of/and the petitioners had “Poornaadhikar” for conducting seva, puja, raj bhog, and other religious affairs of the deity and administering and managing the temple and other endowments of the deity “Sri Adi Kashi Vishwanath” in the city of Varanasi.”
The petition also chalked down the history of “Sri Adi Kashi Vishwanath Temple” and stated that, “Ancestors of the petitioners as members of the Lingiya Brahmins have since the entrustments of the Swayambhu Jyotirlinga to them by the lord Himself established and maintained the temple of the Lord which over the time grew in fame far and wide.”
The act was passed by the Uttar Pradesh Government of 1983 which was led by the Indian National Congress under the leadership of Vishwanath Pratap Singh and the act was brought in for the proper and better administration of Sri Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi.