Neither Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, nor Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati will be the Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth Badrikashram, ruled the Allahabad High Court and directed to appoint the Shankaracharya afresh for this vacant Peeth within three months.
The Allahabad High court on Friday ruled that post of Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth Badrikashram is vacant and has directed Akhil Bharat Kashi Vidwatparishad to hold selection for valid installation of Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth Badrikashram within three months with the help of Pandits, scholars and Shankaracharyas of other three seats.
The appeal of Swami Vashudevanand Saraswati has partly- allowed by a two judges bench comprises Justice Sudhir Agrawal and Justice KJ Thaker.
The court held that even installation of Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati as Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth Badrikashram was illegal and in fact post of Shankaracharya of Jyothishpeeth is vacant. Shankaracharya Swaroopanand has filed a suit seeking court declaration that he is valid Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth Badrikashram.
The lower court had decreed the suit by means of judgement passed on May 5, 2015 and had held that Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati is disqualified for the post of Shankaracharya and restrained him from proclaiming himself the Shankaracharya and from using Chhatra, Chavar and Shinghasan of the post.
The court has directed to maintain status quo with respect to the office of Shankaracharya till next selection.
The court has maintained the injunction portion of lower court by which court had restrained Swami Vashudevanand Saraswati from the use of Chavar , Chhatra and Shighasan of Shankarachar.
The court in its judgement has observed that only four peeth were established by Aadi shankaracharya. Directing to hold the selection for installation of Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth the court has directed to hold the same as per the same procedure as was adopted in 1941.
While holding the post of Shankarachar of Badrikashram as vacant the court was of the view that at the time of installation Swami Vashudevanand was not Sanyasi, therefore, he was disqualified for the post of Shankarachar and further court said that at the time of installation the post of Shankaracharya was not vacant, therefore, installation of Swami Swaroopanand was also wrong.