Date:26/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/26/stories/2007102659180500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

High Court adjourns hearing on Datta Peetha order appeal

Staff Correspondent

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday adjourned further hearing on appeals by the State Government and others against an order of a single judge on the Shree Guru Datta Peetha shrine at Baba Budan Giri in Chikmagalur district.

A single judge had on February 14, 2007, directed the Commissioner of Religious and Charitable Endowments to hear representations by the Datta Peetha Samvardhana Trust and others before passing orders on the religious rites and rituals being followed at the shrine.

The single judge had remitted the matters back to the Commissioner. The State and others had appealed against this order.

While the State is seeking a stay of the single judge order and it has filed an interlocutory application (IA) in this regard, the trust and other respondents, including a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA said the interlocutory application is misconceived.

An earlier Division Bench had in an interim order stayed the single judge order.

Adjourned

The matter came up before a Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice Ashok B. Hinchigeri. The Bench condoned the delay by the State in filing the appeal and adjourned further hearing on the case.