Cuttack, May 7: The pending litigation between the Puri Jagannath Temple Administration and the Pratihari Nijog Anand Bhog Committee over the building contiguous to the temple has been resolved with Orissa High Court today refusing to interfere in the temple management’s decision against sale of the property.

The three-storey building stands over 0.03 decimal adjacent to the Meghanada Pacheri (outer boundary wall of temple) between the Lions’ Gate and the Bada Chhata Mutt. “The division bench of Chief Justice V. Gopala Gowda and Justice B.N. Mohapatra dismissed the matter, saying the dispute related to property of the Jagannath temple and the temple administration was well within its authority to take a decision to sale. The bench said there could not be any interference by high court in such decisions,” temple administration’s counsel Biswanath Rath told The Telegraph.

The Pratihari Nijog Anand Bhog Committee, functioning in the building, had filed a petition challenging the temple administration’s decision in 2007.

The high court gave the ruling taking into consideration the temple administration’s argument that the decision against sale of the property was a policy decision, which was taken keeping in view the security threat to the temple.

The temple administration had, in October 2006, taken a decision for sale of the property. As per the decision, the Pratihari Nijog Anand Bhog Committee had deposited Rs 900 for purchase of the property. But, the decision was rolled back by a subsequent temple management committee in January 2007.

With the Pratihari Nijog Anand Bhog Committee challenging the decision, the high court had issued notices to the temple administration in 2007, while directing for maintenance of status quo in connection with the property.