The Delhi High Court has permitted four female heirs to exercise their rights to perform pooja sewa at city's Kalkaji Mandir by appointing male representatives from within their family.

Justice Prathiba M Singh directed that their share of offerings and donations shall be deposited with the Registrar General of the Court.

The Court passed the order on September 22 while dealing with an application filed by Ramesh, Rakesh, Ashok and Pushpa, who claimed to be the legal heirs and rightful baridaars of late Kali Charan.

The issue raised was whether the female heirs of Kali Charan have rights to perform pooja sewa at the Kalkaji Mandir.

The Court noted that in an earlier order dated September 15, 2021, it had permitted the daughters of Kali Charan or their legal heirs to appoint male representatives for conducting pooja sewa on their behalf.

The Court had also directed that the offerings collected at the temple be divided in accordance with the shares claimed by the parties, with the shares of the other female heirs being deposited before the Registrar General.

Referring to the earlier orders, the Court observed that female heirs had been recognised as being entitled to the benefit of rights in the offerings at the Kalkaji Mandir at the interim stage.

The parties consented that, for the time being, although the female legal heirs could not personally perform pooja sewa, they would be entitled to the benefits arising from the rights in the temple offerings.

Accordingly, the Court permitted all four applicants to perform pooja sewa by appointing male representatives from within their respective families, in accordance with the practice followed during previous baaris.

“The amounts collected by the offerings donations, shall be divided between the Plaintiff – Smt. Kamlesh Sharma and the Defendants– legal heirs of Sh. Ajay Sharma, in the share of 1/6th each. The remaining 4/6th share of the daughters of Late Sh, Kali Charan namely Smt. Prem Lata, Smt. Shanti Devi, Smt. Kapoori Devi and Smt. Pushplata shall be deposited with the Worthy Registrar General of this Court,” the Court said.

It also directed that the persons appointed by the parties to conduct pooja sewa should not cause any disturbance to other family members performing the sewa.

“This order shall apply to this baari commencing from 21st September, 2026 till 20th October, 2026,” it said.

The matter is now listed for October 16.

The court has been dealing with a bunch of pleas concerning redevelopment of the temple premises.

It had earlier ruled that the occupants of the dharamshalas and pujaris cannot claim a vested right to remain in the temple premises.

It had also directed the Delhi Police to proceed with the eviction of unauthorized occupants of jhuggis and dharamshalas present in the temple premises.

The Supreme Court later refused to interfere in the plea challenging the eviction of the said unauthorized occupants of Jhuggis and Dharamshalas.

Previously, the Court had issued a slew of directions regarding the administration and maintenance of the temple as also for resolution of disputes pertaining to the bari rights between baridaars to ensure smooth functioning of the temple.

Case Title: KAMLESH SHARMA v. NEETA BHARDWAJ & ORS

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