Supreme Court Rejects Petition Against VIP Fees at Temples: Key Highlights

On Friday, the Supreme Court of India decided not to take action on a petition that complained about charging extra fees for VIP visits to temples. The judges, Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, said it is up to society and temple managers to handle these issues, not the court. While they agreed that no one should get special treatment, they felt the case was not serious enough for judicial action.

The petition was filed by Vijay Kishor Goswami, a priest at the Shri Radha Madan Mohan Temple in Vrindavan. He argued that the extra fees for VIP darshan (viewing of deities) go against the basic rights of equality and fairness found in Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. The fees, which are between ₹400 and ₹500, create a divide between rich devotees and those who cannot afford them, including women, disabled people, and elderly visitors.

Goswami also pointed out that while the home ministry issued a directive to Andhra Pradesh about this issue, the same has not been done for states like Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. His petition asked the court to declare these extra charges as unfair and to make sure all visitors to temples are treated the same. He also suggested creating a national board to help manage and look after temples across the country.