After a protracted legal fight, the Supreme Court of India ruled that ISKCON Bangalore could retain title to the ISKCON temple in Bengaluru. The most recent verdict has settled the 24-year-old dispute between ISKCON Mumbai and ISKCON Bangalore about who owns and manages the temple complex on Hare Krishna Hills in Rajajinagar, Bengaluru.

Context of the Conflict
• ISKCON Bangalore initiated the case in 2001, requesting among other things a statement that it was the exclusive proprietor of the land in Hare Krishna Hills and that ISKCON Mumbai had no authority to meddle in its internal matters. The administration, control, and legal ownership of the temple and the associated cultural complex established in Bengaluru are the subject of this complaint.
• ISKCON Bangalore, which was formed in July 1978 under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, asserted on August 3, 1988, that it had legally purchased roughly six acres of land from the Bangalore Development Authority. It claimed that the Society functioned as a separate legal body and entrusted funds given by the followers to construct the temple and cultural complex.
• The Bengaluru center, on the other hand, had always been a subsidiary branch rather than an independent corporation, according to ISKCON Mumbai, which was established by Srila Prabhupada in 1966 and registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860 and the Bombay Public Trust Act of 1950. Mumbai argued that all of ISKCON Bangalore’s holdings were actually held in trust for ISKCON Mumbai.
ISKCON Bangalore is favored by the trial court.
• An important victory for ISKCON Bangalore came on April 17, 2009, when the trial court ruled that the Bengaluru society was the only owner and possessor of the temple property. The court also ordered ISKCON Mumbai and its officials to refrain from interfering in the internal issues of Bengaluru society. Furthermore, the trial court rejected ISKCON Mumbai’s counterclaim for a permanent injunction against ISKCON Bangalore.
Trial Court Decree Overturned by High Court
• However, the relief granted by the trial court was only short-term. ISKCON Mumbai appealed the lower court’s ruling to the Karnataka High Court in May 2011. The High Court granted the appeal on May 23, 2011, overturning the lower court’s ruling. It maintained that the Hare Krishna Hills temple complex belonged to ISKCON Mumbai since ISKCON Bangalore was simply a branch of ISKCON Mumbai. Additionally, the High Court issued an injunction against the ISKCON Bangalore office-bearers in favor of ISKCON Mumbai.
Supreme Court Decision: ISKCON Bangalore Wins Out in the End
• On May 16, 2025, Supreme Court of India Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih took the bench to issue the decision that ended this case. The bench upheld the trial court’s initial ruling in favor of ISKCON Bangalore by dismissing the Karnataka High Court’s ruling.
• Because the temple property at Hare Krishna Hills is registered under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, the Supreme Court affirmed that ISKCON Bangalore is the only and rightful owner of the property. The decision effectively barred ISKCON Mumbai and its affiliates from interfering in the future and restored the Bengaluru-based organization’s legal sovereignty.
Attorneys and Case Information
• The case was named “International Society for Krishna Consciousness Bangalore v. International Society for Krishna Consciousness Mumbai and Ors.” It was filed under Civil Appeal Nos. 9314-9315/2014. ISKCON Bangalore was represented by Advocate Kartik Seth, the Advocate-on-Record (AOR).
Effects of the Decision
• The Supreme Court’s decision marks a turning point for the administrative and organizational autonomy of India’s religious communities and goes beyond a simple property decision. It restates the idea that legally created societies have a right to their resources and administration if they operate independently and stresses the significance of correctly registering under the applicable state legislation.
• It also makes it clear to both administration and devotees that the Bengaluru ISKCON temple will continue to run independently of any guidance or interference from the locally recognized society.
The Supreme Court’s ruling has ended a lengthy battle that lasted more than 20 years and was plagued by complex issues pertaining to organizational independence, legal ownership, and the management of religious trusts. ISKCON Bangalore has been tasked with overseeing the spiritual and cultural mission of the Hare Krishna Hills temple in Bengaluru, highlighting the significance of legal clarity in the management of religious facilities.
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