SC stops the coronation of Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, next hearing on October 18

The Supreme Court on Saturday stopped the coronation of Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati as the new Shankaracharya of the Jyotish Peeth in Uttarakhand.

While giving the order the bench led by Justices BR Gavai and BV Nagarathna said, "This application is allowed in terms of prayer clause (a)."

The apex court was hearing an application alleging that Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati falsely claimed to have been appointed as a successor Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth by the late Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati.

The bench was informed that the Shankaracharya of Govardhan Mutt in Puri has filed an affidavit that the appointment of Avimukteshwaranand as the new Shankaracharya of the Jyotish Peeth has not been endorsed.

The fresh application filed in an already pending case stated that one Swami Shri Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Maharaj "falsely claimed to have been appointed as a successor Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth by deceased Shankaracharya H.H. Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati Ji Maharaj".

It sought direction to restrain Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Maharaj from being offered Pattabhishekh (consecration while offering sash), and from being proclaimed as Shankaracharya and Peethadhishwar of the Jyotish Peeth and "letting him from taking Chhatra, Chtaar Band and Singhasan as Sankaracharya of the Jyotish Peeth".

It said that as per media reports a function is organized on October 17 in which once again Pattabhishek of Swami Shri Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati is scheduled. Following this, the apex court will hear the case on October 18.

The Peeth cannot remain without a Shankaracharya, according to Hindu scholars.

Shankaracharya is a commonly used title for heads of monasteries called mutts in the Advaita Vedanta tradition of Hinduism.

The Jyotish Peeth Mutt is looking for their new Shankaracharya after the sad demise of former Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati Ji Maharaj.

Earlier, in September Dwarkapeeth Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati passed away of a minor heart attack at the age of 99 in Madhya Pradesh's Narsinghpur.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed his deep condolences over the demise of Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, Shankaracharya of Dwarka Sharda Peeth.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also expressed deep grief over the death of Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati.

"The Chief Minister has prayed to God to give place to the holy soul at his feet. He said that the death of Swamiji is an irreparable loss to the Sant Samaj and the entire nation," Dhami tweeted.

( With inputs from ANI )

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