These days the ongoing stir regarding Ram temple is not limited to just the controversy related to donation. In the meeting of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust held on July 6, 2026, the biggest administrative changes were made since the formation of the organization in 2020.
Ram Mandir Trust: Ayodhya-based Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has taken a big step to make the temple administration strong and transparent. The Trust has decided to create the post of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the first time. This decision has been taken at a time when questions have been raised regarding alleged irregularities related to donations in the temple and shortcomings in the security arrangements.
According to experts, the appointment of the CEO is not just an administrative change, but it is being considered as a step towards making the Ram Temple management more professional and accountable like other big religious institutions of the country.
Big step taken after donation controversy
The case of alleged theft related to the donation process in Ram temple had raised questions on the internal arrangements of the trust. The investigation revealed that many rules related to counting and security of donations were not followed properly. The investigating agencies identified several cases on the basis of CCTV footage and other evidence. It was alleged that some employees tried to take out the donated cash wrongfully.
During the investigation, information came to light that a large amount of cash, foreign currency and other items were recovered. After this the Trust felt the need to improve the administrative system.
Despite having SOP, there was lack in implementation
A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) regarding donation management was prepared between the temple administration and bank representatives. It included many security measures. These:
- monitoring donation boxes
- CCTV system
- biometric attendance
- employee check up
- ban on personal belongings
- secure counting process
Such rules were included. However, investigation revealed that these rules were not followed effectively at many places. This is why it was believed that merely making rules is not enough, but a strong administrative mechanism is required for their implementation.
What will be the role of the CEO?
After the appointment of the CEO, the responsibility of day-to-day running of the temple may come into the hands of a professional officer. In this model the trust will focus on policy decisions. The CEO will handle administrative work. Security, finance, human resources and operations will be better controlled. A similar system already exists in many big religious institutions of the country. For example, in many major temple boards, roles like executive officer or CEO have been created to streamline administration.
Search committee formed for CEO selection
The Trust has constituted a special committee to select the CEO. This committee will identify eligible candidates and place their names before the Trust. The objective of this process is to select an officer who has management, financial monitoring and administrative experience of a large institution. Apart from the post of CEO, other administrative changes were also made in the recent meeting of the Trust.
Taking moral responsibility, some senior officials decided to step down from their posts. After this, new officers were appointed under the interim arrangement. The Trust now wants to create a system for the future in which the decision process is more clear and accountable.
How much donation did Ram Mandir Trust receive?
According to the Trust, a large amount of donations have been received from devotees for the construction and operation of the temple. The Treasurer of the Trust had informed that till March 2026, the temple has received donations worth hundreds of crores of rupees, which are being used in temple construction, maintenance and other religious activities. Given such a large economic system, the demand for financial transparency and strong monitoring has been continuously rising.
A big question regarding Ram Mandir Trust is whether it can be brought under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The Central Information Commission (CIC) had earlier said in a decision that the trust cannot be considered a public authority, hence it does not come under the purview of RTI. However, the debate on this decision continues. Some people argue that the Trust was formed under the decision of the Supreme Court and the scheme of the Central Government, hence it should have public accountability.
Comments are closed.