Supreme Court Rules Bengaluru Hare Krishna Temple Belongs to ISKCON Bangalore

In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the iconic Hare Krishna temple in Bengaluru belongs to ISKCON Bangalore, ending a long-standing legal battle with ISKCON Mumbai. A bench of Justices A S Oka and Augustine George Masih allowed the plea filed by ISKCON Bangalore, overturning a Karnataka High Court order that had favored ISKCON Mumbai.

ISKCON Bangalore had challenged the 2011 high court ruling, which reversed a 2009 trial court judgment that had recognized ISKCON Bangalore’s legal ownership of the temple. The dispute centered around control of the temple and its associated educational complex, with ISKCON Mumbai claiming that ISKCON Bangalore was merely a branch. The Supreme Court’s decision affirms ISKCON Bangalore’s independent status and its longstanding management of the temple.