FLUSHING, NEW YORK, March 10, 2006 The Becket Fund (“source”) sent the following press release:
“In a resounding victory for the current Trustees of the Hindu Temple Society in Queens, all of the candidates representing the incumbent Temple Trustees won election to the Board. Justice Golia of the New York Supreme Court announced the results at a hearing today in Queens. Voters had 11 votes each to distribute among over 200 candidates. The highest number of votes went to Dr. Uma Mysorekar, current President of the Hindu Temple Society of North America, with 2,759 votes. All of the other current Board candidates also received over 2,000 votes. The slate of challengers failed to gain even a single seat on the Board of Trustees, polling hundreds of votes less than the current Trustees. Several of them sat stony-faced in the courtroom as Justice Golia read out the results. Dr. Mysorekar stated “This is a vindication of what we have said all along: the Board Members have been excellent stewards of the Temple. Although the courts have unconstitutionally forced us to conduct this election at the insurgents’ behest, we are still happy that devotees have given us their confidence and trust.” Robert Greene, Of Counsel to The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, said “We are very happy that the devotees have resoundingly demonstrated their commitment to the First Amendment and freedom of religion. We will continue to fight to have the New York State Courts recognize the Temple’s right to organize and manage itself without state interference.” The Becket Fund represents the Temple, its Trustees, and its devotees in state and federal courts to defend the Temple against this unprecedented invasion of its religious autonomy. The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is a nonpartisan, interfaith, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions.
For additional information on this complex dispute not included in this press release by Becket Fund, click here.