STATE OF ORISSA AND SRI JAGANNATH TEMPLE PURI MANAGEMENTCOM vs CHINTAMANI KHUNTIA & ORS.

The Supreme Court ruled that the right of temple attendants to receive a portion of offerings made to the deity is not a religious right under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India. The Court clarified that the collection and distribution of offerings, such as Veta and Pindika, are secular activities related to the management of the temple rather than religious practices. Therefore, the traditional claims of the attendants to these offerings do not constitute a violation of religious freedom, as they pertain to administrative functions rather than religious rites.