KACHA KANTTI SEVA SAMITY vs SHRI KACHA KANTI DEVI .

The Supreme Court addressed the issue of shebaitship in relation to a deity, determining that without formal appointment by an authority, a pujari cannot claim shebaitship. The Court upheld the findings of the Assistant District Judge and the Gauhati High Court, which recognized the respondents as shebaits based on historical documents and evidence presented. The appeal by the appellants was dismissed, affirming the lower courts' decisions regarding the nature of the deity as a public endowment.