IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA In ======================================================

Bholanath Mishra Son of Brhmdev Mishra, at present residing at ward no. 17, village Dariapur, P.O. - Fatwa, P.S - Fatwa District- Patna, Permanent Resident of Village and Post - Sasaula Sabha, PS- Suppi, District- Sitamarhi.

... ... Petitioner/s Versus

1. Bihar Religious Trust Board Patna through its Administrator namely Sri Anjani Kumar Singh.

2. Shri Akhilesh Kumar Jain, Son of not known, President, Bihar Religious Trust Board, Patna.

... ... Opposite Party/s ======================================================

Appearance :

For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Anjani Kumar Jha, Adv.

Ms. Anita Kumari Sharma, Adv. Mr. Vishwa Shri Rajendra, Adv.

Ms. Shaambhavi Sinha, Adv.

For the Board : Mr. Ganpati Trivedi, Sr. Adv.

Mr. Saurabh Suman, Adv.

======================================================

CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJIV ROY ORAL ORDER

4 13-02-2026 Heard the parties.

2. The present application has been preferred:

for initiating a proceeding of contempt against the named opposite parties for deliberately violating the direction/ order given by this Hon'ble Court in CWJC no. 15689 of 2023 passed by the Court on

23.07.2024.

3. Mr. Ganpati Trivedi, learned Senior Counsel for the petitioner submits that though the Administrator who came into existence as a stop-gap arrangement, constituted a Committee vide letter no. 2752 dated 08.01.2025 (Annexure- B to the show cause), the same though records for a period of five years, it be considered as a stop-gap arrangement as ‘the Board’ has incorporated/a Gazette notification has been issued that the constitution of the Committee has to be made in line with the order passed by the Patna High Court in CWJC No. 17322 of

2022 (Santosh Kumar Jha vs. State of Bihar).

4. The submission is that when a full fledged President joined the post, thereafter series of letters have been sent to the District Magistrate, Sitamarhi to recommend the names in line with the order passed in Santosh Kumar Jha (supra) case.

5. The ball is now in the court of the District Magistrate, Sitamarhi and it is unfortunate that he has not taken care to act in line with the request made by the President as would reflect from the different communication made by him.

6. The District Magistrate, Sitamarhi is directed to look into the matter and act immediately and ensure that in next two months, the names are recommended in line with the order passed in Santosh Kumar Jha (supra) case. He must take into account that the order was passed on 23.03.2024 and we are sitting in the year 2026.

7. Granting liberty to the petitioner to agitate the matter afresh if situation so warrant, MJC No. 1325 of 2025 is disposed of.

(Rajiv Roy, J)

Vijay Singh/-

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