JUDGMENT

The appellants and the respondents before us are the followers of Shri Swaminarayan Sampraday. Shri Abji Bapa was a staunch follower of the said Sampraday. During his lifetime, Abji Bapa enunciated his own views which were respected by number of his followers who came to be known as Bapa Panthis. The respondents-plaintiffs are the followers of Abji Bapa, whereas the appellants-defend ants are the followers of Nar Narayan Sect presided over by Acharya Shri of Mota Mandir at Ahmedabad.

2. At village Baladia in Taluka Bhuj Kutch, there is a temple called Chhatedi. In the said temple there is a Dharamshala hall. The idols of Shriji Maharaj, Abji Bapa and Ishwarcharandasji were installed in the said hall. Bapa Panthis were also using the hall for reading religious books. The temple has been registered as a public trust and the appellants-defendants are in possession and management of the trust.

3. The respondent-plaintiffs filed a suit alleging that the appellants-defendants were interfering with their rights of worship and they were not allowing them to read the holy books of Shri Abji Bapa in the Dharamshala hall of the temple. It was also alleged that the appellants-defendants