A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court of India by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, urging the establishment of a judicial commission or expert committee to review the wages and benefits of priests, sevadars, and temple staff in state-controlled temples. The petition asserts that these individuals should be recognized as employees under Section 2(k) of the Code on Wages, 2019, arguing that the state's control over temples creates an employer-employee relationship. The petitioner highlights the ongoing systemic exploitation of temple staff, as they often do not receive even the minimum wage mandated for unskilled workers. This situation was brought to light during recent protests in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where temple staff demanded fair compensation. Furthermore, the PIL references a concerning incident in Tamil Nadu, where a circular prohibited priests from accepting donations, threatening their livelihoods. The petition seeks judicial intervention to ensure dignified wages and welfare measures for temple staff, emphasizing the need for state accountability in managing temple affairs.