Orissa High Court Adjourns Hearing on PIL Regarding Missing Keys of ‘Ratna Bhandar’

The Orissa High Court has deferred the hearing on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the tabling of the Justice Raghubir Das Commission of Enquiry report concerning the missing keys of Puri Jagannath Temple’s ‘Ratna Bhandar’ in the State Assembly. Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh-led Division Bench postponed the hearing for an additional two weeks upon the State government’s request for more time to file an affidavit.

The PIL was initiated by Dilip Kumar Baral, a resident of Puri, in 2023, expressing concern over the government’s failure to disclose the findings of the inquiry commission. Despite the commission submitting its report in 2018, the state authorities have not presented it to the public, prompting questions about transparency and accountability. The PIL underscores the need for accountability and transparency in handling sensitive religious matters, especially concerning a revered site like the Puri Jagannath Temple.