In a significant move regarding the administration of the Shani Shingnapur Temple, the Supreme Court has intervened, appointing the Nashik Divisional Commissioner as the temple's administrator. This decision, made on Friday, December 19, 2025, effectively stays the order of the Bombay High Court, which had previously restored control of the Shree Shanaishwar Devasthan temple trust to its original members.

The Supreme Court's intervention was prompted by concerns regarding potential mismanagement of the temple's finances and the impending expiration of the current trustees' tenure on December 31. The court expressed apprehension about entrusting the significant offerings made by devotees, amounting to crores of rupees, to a body whose term was about to end.

The bench, consisting of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, issued a notice to the temple trust members while hearing a petition from the Maharashtra government. The government had challenged the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court's December 12 order.

The Supreme Court has directed the Nashik Divisional Commissioner to assume responsibility for the temple's day-to-day administration. The commissioner will be supported by sub-divisional magistrates to ensure the temple's smooth and efficient functioning. This arrangement will remain in effect until a new management committee is formed in accordance with the Shingnapur Trust Act of 2018. The court has requested the state government to provide a timeline for the establishment of this new committee.

The Supreme Court criticized the conduct of the collector, who promptly handed over the temple's charge to the trust after the High Court's order, even before the state could file an appeal. The court suggested that the trustees wield considerable political influence, potentially influencing the collector's decision. The bench observed that the trust had a large number of employees and was spending a lot of money on salaries which indicated possible defalcation of funds.

The Aurangabad bench of the High Court had previously struck down the Maharashtra government's decision to appoint the Ahilyanagar collector as the administrator, deeming it "illegal" and beyond the scope of the 2018 Act. The High Court had also nullified the administrator's and the committee's actions, restoring the status quo.