Cuttack, Dec. 20: Puri Gajapati King Dibyasingh Deb has submitted an affidavit before the Justice Bimal Prasad Das commission of inquiry appointed by the state government to bring in reforms into the functioning of the Jagannath temple.

The commission had through a notification on October 5 invited from people - both general public and those associated with the temple - their opinion, experiences and suggestions concerning the temple.

The secretary of the commission had handed over a copy of the notification to the king, who is the first servitor of Lord Jagannath. The Puri Gajapati is also the chairman of the managing committee of the temple.

"I received the affidavit from Puri Gajapati King Dibyasingh Deb today at his residence in Bhubaneswar," commission secretary B. P. Parija told The Telegraph.

Das, a retired high court judge, had earlier said that the suggestions of the Puri Gajapati would be crucial for preparing the panel's concluding report and recommendations.

Though December 4 was the last date for submission, the commission had extended the deadline to December 20 after there were requests from several persons and organisations that were eager to file affidavits.

Parija said the commission had received 12,766 responses, which included 11,089 affidavits, 1,551 statements and 126 emails.

The commission had placed drop boxes in offices of collectors and sub-collectors.

"We have, so far, received 193 affidavits from 17 districts. Those received in the office of the collector in 13 districts and office of the sub-collector in Bhubaneswar is expected to reach the commission office within the next few days," Parija said. Yesterday, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's Odisha unit had submitted 10,344 affidavits.

The state government on July 23 had appointed the commission to probe into the functioning of the temple to form a conclusion and give recommendations.

In the terms of reference for the commission the government had expressed concern that despite enactment of Puri Shri Jagannath Temple (Administration) Act, 1952 and Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955, there has been delay in performance of rituals and lack of proper management of sevapuja of the deities.

On July 23, the state government had appointed the one-man commission of inquiry to bring in reforms into the functioning of the Puri Jagannath temple following a hue and cry over the attack on the Puri district collector and delay in conducting the rituals of Lord Jagannath on the Niladri Bije day on July 17.