Temple money belongs to deity, cannot be used to save cooperative banks: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court connected Friday (December 5, 2025) said that wealth belonging to a temple deity cannot beryllium utilized to prop up financially distressed cooperative banks.

The crisp observations were made by a Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi portion proceeding appeals filed by a fewer cooperative banks challenging a absorption of the Kerala High Court asking them to instrumentality the deposits to the Thirunelly Temple Devaswom.

"You privation to usage the temple wealth to prevention the bank? What is incorrect with directing that the temple money, alternatively of being successful a cooperative slope which is breathing with large difficulty, should spell to a steadfast nationalised slope which tin springiness maximum interest," the CJI asked.

Temple wealth belongs to the deity, and hence, it indispensable beryllium “saved, protected and utilised lone for the interests of the temple.” It cannot go a root of income oregon endurance for a cooperative bank, the CJI said. The pleas against the High Court bid were filed by Mananthawady Co-operative Urban Society Ltd and Thirunelly Service Cooperative Bank Ltd.

The High Court had directed 5 cooperative banks to adjacent the Devaswom's fixed deposits and refund the full magnitude wrong 2 months, pursuing repeated refusals by the banks to merchandise the matured deposits.

The Bench was unconvinced with the submissions of the banks that the abrupt absorption of the High Court was causing difficulties.

The Bench said the banks should found credibility among the people. "If you are incapable to pull the customers and deposits, that is your problem," it said. The Top Court refused to entertain the pleas. It, however, permitted the banks to attack the High Court for hold of clip to comply with the impugned order.

The lawsuit arose from a plea filed by the Thirunelly Devaswom aft respective cooperative banks refused to repay the temple's fixed deposits contempt repeated requests.

The High Court had directed Thirunelly Service Cooperative Bank Ltd, Susheela Gopalan Smaraka Vanitha Cooperative Society Ltd, Mananthawady Cooperative Rural Society Ltd, Mananthawady Cooperative Urban Society Ltd, and Wayanad Temple Employees Cooperative Society Ltd to instrumentality the funds wrong 2 months.