The Supreme Court has held that all temple property is owned by the deity as a legal person and the name of the pujari or even the government officials in charge of managing the temple cannot be put in the property ownership papers in the revenue records.

"In the ownership column, the name of the deity alone is required to be mentioned as the deity, being a juristic person is the owner of the land,” ruled the Supreme Court on Monday.

“The occupation of the land is also by the deity, which is carried out by the servant or the managers, on behalf of the deity. Therefore, the name of the manager or that of the priest is not required to be mentioned in the column of the occupier," the court said in the judgment.

The Supreme Court has held that all temple property is owned by the deity as a legal person and the name of the pujari or even the government officials in charge of managing the temple cannot be put in the property ownership papers in the revenue records.

"In the ownership column, the name of the deity alone is required to be mentioned as the deity, being a juristic person is the owner of the land,” ruled the Supreme Court on Monday.

“The occupation of the land is also by the deity, which is carried out by the servant or the managers, on behalf of the deity. Therefore, the name of the manager or that of the priest is not required to be mentioned in the column of the occupier," the court said in the judgment.