The servitors of the Jagnnath Temple boycotted a Chhatisa Nijog meeting convened by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) here on Tuesday.
The meeting had been convened to deliberate on the issue of the number of servitors required to perform the daily rituals in the shrine. The priests, however, did not turn up at the meeting being irked over the proposed reduction in the number.
The servitors alleged that the SJTA has already approached the Supreme Court with a report suggesting a new enumeration of the priests needed in the temple without consulting them.
SJTA Chief Administrator Pradipta Mohapatra, however, clarified that apart from the BD Sharma affidavit, no other affidavit has been submitted in the Supreme Court in this regard.
He also stated that the SJTA has sought permission from the court to give the responsibility of the servitor count enlisting as part of the temple reforms to the Puri District Judge and the district administration.