JUDGMENT

B.N. Srikrishna, J.-These civil appeals and the special leave petition arise out of and impugn the same judgment of the Division Bench of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir which allowed the Letters Patent Appeals of the respondents.

2. A popular Hindu Shrine in Jammu thronged by devotees all round the year, Mata Vaishno Devi is situated on the Trikuta Hills, approximately 45 kilometers from Jammu city. The Shrine was originally managed by a trust known as Dharmarth Trust , which managed, not only the affairs of the shrine, but also looked after the welfare of the pilgrims. The actual duties of performance of Pooja and protection of the Shrine were carried out by Baridars, who belonged to the two villages in the vicinity of the Shrine. With the popularity of the Shrine increasing, there was an exponential increase in the number of pilgrims visiting the Shrine. When the number of devotees visiting the Shrine became unmanageable, there were complaints with regard to administration and management of the temple, and the facilities made available for the pilgrims. This led to the enactment of The Jammu and Kashmir Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Act, 1986 (Governor s Act No. XXXI