Jaipur: In a significant ruling, the Mandphia Civil Court has declared void a 2018 proposal by the Sanwaliya Seth Temple Board to release ₹18 crore for the development of the Matrikundiya pilgrimage site, holding that the decision violated statutory provisions governing temple funds. The judgment, delivered on November 17 by Presiding Officer Vikas Kumar Agarwal, also prohibits the Board’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from allocating any further money from the temple treasury for the project.
The April 12, 2018 proposal had authorized the release of temple funds for development works at Matrikundiya. However, the court concluded that the move contravened Section 28 of the Sanwaliya Temple Board Act, 1992, which limits expenditure to activities directly linked to the temple’s religious functions and designated jurisdiction. The court directed that if any portion of the ₹18 crore had already been disbursed, it must be returned to the Board’s account within two months.
The lawsuit, filed in November 2018 by Mandphia resident Madanlal Jain and others, named 49 respondents including the Temple Board’s CEO and Chairman. The petitioners argued that the Temple Board Act—formulated by the Rajasthan government in 1992—was intended to ensure that temple funds were managed strictly for religious activities, temple maintenance and projects benefiting the temple’s devotees. They alleged that the Board’s decision to finance the Matrikundiya project constituted an unlawful diversion of funds.
According to the petitioners, the temple’s resources were already earmarked for a wide range of approved development works within the Board’s territorial mandate. These included roads connecting 16 surrounding villages to the temple complex, construction of accommodation facilities for devotees, expansion of the temple premises and establishment of educational institutions. The estimated costs of these projects ranged between ₹2.5 crore and ₹300 crore. They contended that allocating money for a pilgrimage site outside the temple’s jurisdiction violated the Act and undermined ongoing welfare and development efforts.
The case brought to light several concerns, including alleged misuse of funds, unauthorised projects and deviations from the stipulations of the Temple Board Act. The petitioners also pointed out that the Temple Board had approved funding for government projects beyond its jurisdiction even though essential temple-related works were already underway. The Devasthan Department, too, objected to the allocation, stating that such initiatives fell outside the scope of the statutory framework.
The court accepted these arguments, affirming that the Board had exceeded its authority by approving financial support for the Matrikundiya project. It held that the Act expressly restricts the use of temple funds to activities aligned with the temple’s religious purpose and geographic mandate. As a result, the court issued a permanent injunction barring the Board’s President and CEO from sanctioning any similar expenditures in the future.
The ruling is viewed as an important step toward ensuring stricter oversight and lawful management of temple finances. Legal observers say it reinforces the principle that temple funds—generated through donations, offerings and pilgrim contributions—must be used only for sanctioned religious and welfare-related activities, and not for external government-linked initiatives.
The decision also arrives at a time when the Sanwaliya Seth Temple Board has approved a record budget of ₹421 crore aimed at upgrading facilities for the rapidly growing number of devotees. The proposals include expanded infrastructure, enhanced amenities and high-tech services for visitors. However, the court’s order casts uncertainty over aspects of the temple’s broader development plans, particularly the Matrikundiya project, which may now face substantial delays due to the legal restrictions.
Officials associated with the temple noted that the ruling serves as a reminder that the temple’s sizable resources must be deployed in alignment with its religious and cultural objectives, as mandated under law. The Sanwaliya Seth Temple, one of the region’s most prominent pilgrimage sites, draws millions of devotees annually, making the lawful administration of its funds essential to its long-term expansion and service commitments.
