Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has asked servitors of Srimandir in Odisha's Puri not to receive offerings/donations by devotees as per the direction of the Supreme Court in this regard.

The temple administration has also requested devotees to make their offerings/donations either in Hundi or at Temple Head Office, Branch Offices and Temple Information Centres.

A vacation bench of justices Adarsh Kumar Goel and Ashok Bhushan of the apex court, hearing a petition filed by Mrinalini Padhi highlighting difficulties faced by devotees at the Jagannath Temple in Puri and their harassment or exploitation by sevayats of the temple, had yesterday directed the temple administrator to "ensure that no direct collection of the offerings is made by any Sevaks and all the offerings either in hundi or are deposited and accounted for and properly utilized."

"There should not be individual pockets by the Sevaks/attendants who may be given their due remuneration as per rules. To ensure this, the help of CCTV cameras and its footage or other steps may be explored," the bench said.