the Supreme Court on Tuesday said the contributions of the devotees must go into the shrine’s donation boxes or online treasury. (File)With a high-powered committee appointed by it expressing doubts over the handling of donations at the Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said the contributions of the devotees must go into the shrine’s donation boxes or online treasury.“Let there be no doubts, and we accordingly direct that every penny of donation must come to the donation boxes or online temple treasury, and any impediment created by sewayats or anyone else shall be viewed very seriously,” a three-judge bench presided by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said. It also directed the temple’s managing committee “to introduce any transparent mechanism for the temple treasury”.The bench comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said this after perusing a status report furnished by the Committee, which was formed in its direction to look after temple management in August last year.The report referred to instances of devotees allegedly being prevented from accessing the donation boxes due to physical obstructions and the boxes being covered by flowers, plates and other materials, leading to money being given to the bhandaris or sewayats.It also pointed out that sometimes, QR codes provided for online donation are damaged.To submissions that the money collected by bhandaris is towards ‘bhog’ and the customary practice is protected by a civil court decree, Justice Bagchi said that though the court is not disputing this, the money must first go to the deity and that sewayats could receive their due share from it.“First, the donation must be in dedication to the deity, and from that, you will get your share as a part of the bhandari duties. You cannot appropriate it before the person goes to the temple. A bhandari or a priest cannot have a garnishing right on the devotees’ donation,” the judge said.Story continues below this adMeanwhile, the committee informed the court that a comprehensive development plan had been prepared for the development of the infrastructure around the temple, considering the demographic and footfall projections for the future.Appearing for the committee, senior advocate Maninder Singh said that of a total 5.5 acres of land required for development, nearly half an acre had been acquired and efforts are on to acquire the remaining, but there are impediments.Senior advocate Shyam Divan, who appeared for the Goswamis, said that temple funds should not be used to purchase the properties. He pointed out that their main petition challenging the UP law regarding the management of the shrine is still pending adjudication and that the committee was only an interim arrangement.“If it is a development activity, where are the funds going to come from?” asked CJI Kant, while also pointing out that the committee would have a role in the development activities.Story continues below this adHe told Singh, “If you continue with your negotiations, if a private transaction takes place, you let us know. We will permit you to go ahead. If there is still an impediment, then we will direct the state to acquire the land.”