The Supreme Court agreed on Monday (August 4, 2025) on Monday (August 4, 2025) on the cancellation of the Bodh Gaya Temple Act, 1949 and replacing the Mahabodhi Temple in Bihar, a central law for proper control, management and administration.
The Mahabodhi temple complex in Bodh Gaya, Bihar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the four holy areas related to the life of Lord Gautama Buddha. It is believed that Bodh Gaya is the place where Lord Buddha attained knowledge.
The validity of the 1949 Act has also been challenged through this petition. This petition Justice MM Sundaresh and Justice N. I came to hear before the bench of Kotishwar Singh. The petitioner’s counsel said that a petition with similar requests is pending in the Supreme Court. The bench issued a notice to the Center and others seeking answers on the petition and attached it to the hearing with a pending petition.
The petition requested to declare the 1949 Act unconstitutional and alleged that it is ‘incompatible’ with Article 13 of the Constitution. The petition also requested to give instructions to the relevant authorities to remove the encroachments made in the Bodh Gaya temple premises.
On June 30, the Supreme Court refused to hear a separate petition challenging the validity of the 1949 Act and asked the petitioner to go to the concerned High Court. This Act is related to better management of the temple.
The Mahabodhi temple complex consists of a grand temple, Vajrasana, the holy Bodhi tree and six other holy places associated with the knowledge of Buddha. All these sites are surrounded by innumerable ancient stupas and are well protected from the internal, middle and external three peripheral borders.