The Orissa High Court has announced on Friday that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the managing committee of the 12th-century Jagannath Temple in Puri will work together to preserve the Ratna Bhandar, which is the treasury located within the temple premises.

Regarding the request to create an inventory of the items in the Ratna Bhandar, the court expressed its anticipation that the state government would actively participate in ensuring effective management when the managing committee seeks its cooperation.

Rejecting the petition submitted by BJP leader Samir Mohanty, a division bench led by Chief Justice Subhasis Talapatra declined to intervene and cited the Supreme Court's 2019 statement on a comparable request. In that statement, it was asserted that the Shri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC) holds exclusive authority as the custodian of faith.

The high court noted that in August, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had an extensive conversation with the Shri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC) regarding the Ratna Bhandar. 

The court announced that during the upcoming Rath Yatra, it was determined in the meeting that the Ratna Bhandar would be opened and undergo repairs.

During the meeting, another decision was made to request the government to establish a high-level committee. This committee would be headed by a retired high court or Supreme Court judge and would oversee the inventory process.

The high court stated that if the SJTMC (presumably an organization or entity) approaches the state government, the government must form the committee within a 60-day timeframe.