In a landmark victory for the Lord Lingaraj Temple, the Odisha government has finally restored 149.57 acres of land to the deity’s account. This concludes a legal saga spanning over three decades, rooted in the Landlord Eviction Act. Since 1991, the temple’s records had been tied up in court after the state moved the land into government Khata.
Following a 2022 court mandate, the revenue records for villages including Bhubaneswar, Rajarani, Gautamnagar, and Kapilprasad were revised to reflect the deity as the rightful owner. While the temple holds roughly 3,600 acres across the region, this specific recovery marks a significant administrative milestone.
However, the victory is bittersweet: nearly 90% of this restored land remains under illegal encroachment. While the temple has regained its legal title, the government now faces the uphill task of reclaiming the physical territory from unauthorized occupiers.