Ram Temple CEO selection row: applicant seeks review, Trust denies lapses
A row over the Ram Temple CEO selection has widened, with an applicant seeking a review and the Trust denying any deviation from its process.
A controversy over the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra has widened, with a former IPS officer who was interviewed for the post issuing a clarification and another applicant formally seeking a review of the selection process.
Rajesh Pandey, one of 16 candidates interviewed for the role, said on Tuesday that his remarks on a podcast had been misrepresented. In a post on X, he said he had never claimed to be among the top three candidates and had later clarified on the same podcast that the information came from social media and newspapers rather than any official source.
He also rejected as false a rumour that he had said the selected CEO, retired Air Marshal Jitendra Mishra, did not appear for the interview. Mr. Pandey said he had only stated that he did not see Mr. Mishra at the venue on August 11 during his own interview slot.
The clarification followed fresh questions from Amitabh Thakur, a former IPS officer and social activist who also applied for the post. In a letter to the Trust, Mr. Thakur referred to the reported podcast remarks and said that if they were correct, they raised serious questions about the selection process itself.
He asked the Trust to explain how and on what basis Mr. Mishra's name figured among the final three if he had not taken part in the prescribed final stage, and on what recorded basis he was ultimately selected. Mr. Thakur, a 1992-batch officer, sought a clear explanation and corrective action if any deviation from the prescribed process was found, adding that he would pursue legal remedies if a satisfactory response was not forthcoming.
The Trust responded with a detailed statement rejecting what it called misinformation circulating in some media channels. It said a search committee constituted on July 6, 2026, ran a transparent, technology-enabled process that drew 5,585 applications and involved multi-tiered evaluation across Delhi NCR, Pune and Sambalpur, using artificial intelligence-assisted screening alongside manual expertise.
Sixteen finalists were shortlisted and took part in face-to-face interactions at Ayodhya on August 11 and 12, 2026, the Trust said. It stated that Air Marshal Jitendra Mishra (Retd.) participated in the interview process on August 11 in the first half, and that the committee submitted its final report and recommendations on September 1, 2026.
The three recommended candidates were Air Marshal Jitendra Mishra (Retd.), Sanjay Pratapsinh Vishwas Rao and Shruti Bharadwaj, the Trust said, adding that the names were formally announced in media interactions. It maintained that every stage of the process was documented and that the identity of all finalists was recorded at Ayodhya.