(1.) These writ petitions and writ appeals have been clubbed and heard together as they mainly concern the controversy arising from the issuance of Government Order dated 12/08/2008 under which Gokarna Mahabaleshwara Temple along with its allied Temples (hereinafter referred to as "Temple" or "Gokarna Temple" for the sake of convenience) has been deleted from Notification dated 30/04/2003 with effect from 01/05/2003 and Gokarna Temple and its connected institutions have been handed over to respondent Sri Ramachandrapura Mutt, (hereinafter referred to as "Mutt" (also known as "Matha") respondent No.6 in W.P.No.30609/2008 and arrayed as respondent in connected writ petitions, which is headed by a Pontiff (also known as "Swamiji") and in some cases, represented by its Administrator and/or General Power of Attorney Holder.
(2.) As already stated, this bunch of writ petitions revolve around Government Order dated 12/08/2008. Certain writ petitions are filed in public interest assailing the said Government Order, while W.P.No.30609/2008 is in private interest challenging the very same Government Order. W.P.No.30609/2008 is filed on behalf of the deity and by Balachandra Vigneshwara Dixit, assailing the Government Order dated 12/08/2008 (Annexure-A to the writ petition). W.P.No.60096/2010 has been filed by Sri Gajanana Krishna Hire and Sri Dattatreya Shyam Bhat Gopi, who are stated to be Vydika Vidwans, permanent residents of Gokarna and ardent devotees of Sri Mahabaleshwara deity of Gokarna Kshetra. They have also assailed Government Order dated 12/08/2008 (Annexure - K to the writ petition) and they have sought a direction against respondent Nos.1 and 2 to forbear with meddling of the affairs and management, administration and control of Gokarna Temple and Parivara Devarugala Devasthana mentioned in impugned order vide Annexure - K. They have also sought a direction for implementation of the recommendations contained in the Report dated 13/09/2007 of the High Power Committee, headed by Dr. Justice M Rama Jois, Former Judge and former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court.
(3.) We have perused the memorandum of writ petitions, statement of objections and other pleadings filed in each of the cases as well as the material placed on record.