Eighteen candidates have been shortlisted for interviews for the post of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust, temple sources said on Monday, after more than 5,300 people applied for the position.
A screening committee shortlisted the 18 candidates from the applications received. Sources said candidates with administrative experience are likely to be preferred for the post, which involves overseeing the administration and management of the Ram temple and its associated affairs and businesses.
The shortlisted candidates will be interviewed at the temple premises in Ayodhya on Tuesday and Wednesday. The selection panel comprises former Justice Pramod Kohli, Lieutenant General (retired) Vishnukant Chaturvedi and scientist Suresh Haware, former chairman of the Shirdi Sai Baba Trust.
According to sources, the selected candidate must be a practising Hindu and follow Hindu traditions and guidelines. The candidate will also have to be a pure vegetarian and a strict teetotaller. The age criterion for the position has been fixed between 50 and 70 years.
The appointment of a CEO comes amid efforts to strengthen the administrative structure of the trust. The decision was taken after allegations of embezzlement involving Ram temple donations surfaced in June.
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The Uttar Pradesh government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on June 13 to investigate the allegations. The SIT was initially given 15 days to complete its probe.
After the submission of its preliminary report on June 23, an FIR was registered on June 25. Eight people — Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu Yadav — were arrested during the investigation.
Police also recovered cash and other valuables from several of the accused. The highest cash recovery, amounting to Rs 20.39 lakh, was made from Shukla. Gold, silver and foreign currency were also recovered during the investigation.
The CEO's role is expected to involve managing the temple's day-to-day administration as well as its various financial, operational and institutional responsibilities. The appointment will therefore be significant as the trust continues to manage the expanding operations surrounding the Ram temple.
With 18 candidates now shortlisted, the interviews will determine who eventually takes charge of the CEO position. The trust is expected to select a candidate who can combine administrative experience with an understanding of the temple's religious and institutional requirements.
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