Supreme Court Clears Way for Civil Trial in Brahmo Samaj Property Dispute; Criminal Cases to Come Up Before HP High Court
Photo used for indicative purpose only. Source internet
Shimla, Dec 16,
The Supreme Court has upheld an order of the Himachal Pradesh High Court allowing a civil court to continue hearing the long-running dispute over ownership and management of the Brahmo Samaj temple and its associated properties in Shimla, reportedly valued at over Rs 1,500 crores.
In a brief order passed on Monday, a Division Bench of Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma dismissed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by certain devotees of the Himalayan Brahmo Samaj, challenging the High Court’s refusal to assume jurisdiction over the civil dispute. With the dismissal of SLP (Civil) Diary No. 60864/2025, the High Court’s decision has attained finality, and the matter will now proceed before the trial court.
The petitioners had sought transfer of the civil proceedings from the trial court to the High Court, contending that the dispute involved complex questions of control and management of the Brahmo Samaj trust and temple property located in the heart of Shimla town. However, the High Court had earlier ruled that the civil court was fully competent to adjudicate the matter. The Supreme Court has now endorsed this view, declining to interfere.
As a result, the interim arrangements already ordered by the civil court regarding the property will continue, and the civil suit will move forward at the trial level.
Meanwhile, a separate set of criminal proceedings arising from the same dispute is scheduled to be heard by the Himachal Pradesh High Court on December 16. A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Jiya Lal Bhardwaj will take up multiple criminal petitions linked to FIRs registered following a violent incident at the temple premises during a religious congregation.
The High Court has directed the State to place the complete investigative record before it. Accordingly, Shimla Police are expected to submit all relevant FIRs, charge sheets, cancellation reports and investigation documents. Case files have also been forwarded by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Shimla.
According to sources, detailed replies spanning nearly 2,000 pages have been filed by the Himalayan Brahmo Samaj, raising allegations of forcible occupation of the property by certain individuals and organisations, while counter-cases have also been registered against persons alleged to be linked to right-wing groups.
While the civil dispute will now be conclusively decided by the trial court, the High Court’s hearing on December 16 will be limited to examining the legality, status and handling of the criminal cases arising from the temple-related incident.
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