Cuttack: The Justice Bimal Prasad Das Commission, set up to reform the functioning of the Puri Shri Jagannath Temple, has not been functioning for the past nine days as the state government has not extended its term that expires on January 22.

"The commission had sought more time to submit its report less than a week before the deadline was to end. Another letter from the commission had followed four days ago. But there has been no response from the government so far," commission secretary B.P. Parija told The Telegraph on Thursday.

The state government had appointed the one-man commission of inquiry on July 23, 2016, following the hue and cry over the attack on Puri district collector and the delay in conducting the rituals of lord Jagannath on the Niladri Bije day on July 17.

The commission was expected to submit its report within six months. But the government had so far extended its term twice - each time of six months.

The commission has so far submitted two interim reports - first on April 20, 2017 and second on December 6, 2017.

"We have sought more time as the inquiry process has not been completed and some of the important terms of reference of the commission of inquiry are yet to be addressed," Parija said.

The commission had planned to submit another interim report addressing the terms of reference which expects the commission to suggest measures to be taken for efficient management of Niti-Kanti and Seva Puja (both important rituals) of the lords (deities) and streamlining the duties of employees of the temple and persons connected thereto, official sources said.

Highly-placed sources said the commission in the first interim report had compiled a list of suggestions for security of devotees for hassle-free darshan of the deities, along with proper maintenance of law and order inside and as well as outside the temple.

In the second interim report, the commission had suggested promotion of places having links with the Puri Jagannath temple into tourist destinations for promotion of Jagannath culture and heritage.

After inviting suggestions, the commission had received 12,791 suggestions which included 11,094 affidavits, 1,551 statements and the rest emails.