Shimla, Oct 15 (UNI) In a landmark judgment, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has ruled that the misuse or diversion of temple trust funds by trustees or state authorities amounts to a breach of trust.
The Division Bench of Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Rakesh Kainthla, in a 38-page verdict in CWP No.1834 of 2018 (Kashmir Chand Shadyal vs State of H.P. and others), categorically barred the State Government, Deputy Commissioners, and temple officers from diverting temple donations to the public exchequer or using them for general development works.
The court held that every rupee donated by devotees must be utilized strictly for religious, spiritual, and charitable purposes connected with the temple. It said, “Temple funds cannot be treated like general revenue for the State or public exchequer.”
Any diversion for government welfare schemes, public works, or political programs, it emphasized, “strikes at the core of religious freedom and institutional sanctity.”
In detailed operative directions, the court listed permissible uses of temple income, including preservation of temple architecture, construction of gopurams and mandapas, propagation of Hindu philosophy, promotion of Sanskrit and Vedic learning, training of priests, payment of salaries and pensions of temple staff, and charitable works such as healthcare and education consistent with dharmic principles.
The Bench also directed that temple accounts be maintained transparently, with monthly income and expenditure publicly displayed on notice boards or websites to inspire confidence among devotees.
Holding that temple endowments are sacred trusts, the court declared that any misuse of such funds would constitute a *breach of fiduciary duty* and violate the intent of devotees’ offerings.
It underscored that the State’s role in managing temples is limited to regulation and cannot extend to appropriation of religious funds for secular or governmental purposes.
The 38-page judgment, reserved on May 27 and pronounced on October 10, 2025, lays down comprehensive guidelines for the financial and administrative management of Hindu temples in Himachal Pradesh under the Hindu Public Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1984.
