HC asks Maha govt to reconsider appointments to Saibaba temple

The Bombay High Court today directed the Maharashtra government to reconsider the appointments made to the managing committee of the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, which manages the affairs of the famous Saibaba temple at Shirdi.
A bench of justices S C Dharmadhikari and M S Patil said the government should look into the allegations of mismanagement and misappropriation of funds against the 15- member committee within two months, and decide whether the appointments of current members need to be terminated.
A supervisory body can be constituted to look into the allegations against the current members and to approve the new appointments, the high court suggested.

The court was hearing petitions challenging appointments of Suresh Haware, chairperson of the managing committee, and other 14 members.
In 2004, the Maharashtra legislature passed a law providing for constitution of a managing committee for the Shirdi temple trust to bring in transparency in its affairs.
Petitions in the court alleged unauthorised transactions and mismanagement of funds by the committee members.