Ram Temple trust may finalise new CEO today, 3 names recommended

The three-member panel tasked with appointing the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust recommended three names for the post in its report submitted to the trust on Tuesday.

The temple trust will most likely take the final decision on Wednesday, said trust treasurer Govind Dev Giri Maharaj.

The process for the CEO’s appointment began on July 6 after reports of embezzlement of donations, which came to light in May, created a stir. The appointment of a professional CEO is one of the ways in which the temple trust hopes to regain the confidence of people.

The three-member selection committee comprised retired Justice Pramod Kohli, Lt Gen (retd) Vishnukant Chaturvedi and nuclear scientist Dr Suresh Haware. “We can say with confidence that this selection process was entirely transparent and fair. The trust will now decide which of these three individuals will serve as the CEO,” Justice Kohli told the media.

Between July 11 and 18, the selection panel received 5,585 applications, he said. “Scrutinising those was a massive task. So we held a meeting on July 19 and decided to create a Google Form featuring different categories and assigning marks based on eligibility criteria,” he said.

Also Read: Ex-Ram Temple official Champat Rai gets clean chit in donation theft case weeks after resignation

Justice Kohli said the panel shortlisted candidates it considered best suited for the role based on marks allotted for various attributes, including their commitment to work, clarity of vision and understanding of the issues involved.

He said a Google Form of 600 marks was created and sent to all 5,585 applicants, but only 3,577 of them responded.

“On further categorisation, 108 individuals fell into that specific category — those who scored 470 marks or above. We conducted virtual interactions via video conferencing with these 108 individuals,” he said.

From that group, 17 were shortlisted into Grade A, B and C based on performance and approach. Of them, 16 turned up for interviews in Ayodhya, before the final three were picked.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust will meet in two sittings. The first is scheduled from 2pm to 3pm and the second from 4pm to 6pm, with a 12-point agenda.

This will be the third such gathering since the alleged donation theft came to light.

Changes in the deed are likely to incorporate new rules, regulations and powers of the CEO. This will be the first such amendment since the creation of the Trust on February 5, 2020, said sources. The amendment is also likely to create a legal window for the re-entry of Champat Rai in the Trust.

Also Read: Restoring trust after Ram Temple theft controversy

Rai, then general secretary of the Trust that manages the Ayodhya Ram Temple, and trustee Anil Mishra had resigned on June 26, a day after the UP Police lodged a case over alleged irregularities in donations for the shrine.

The meeting, which comes in the wake of the controversy over the alleged theft of offerings and the resignation of former general secretary of the temple trust Champat Rai, will be held at the place of the president of the Ram Mandir Trust, Nritya Gopal Das, in Maniramdas Chhawani.