A division bench, comprising Justices Devinder Gupta and N.G. Nandi asked the police chief to file his reply by December 7.

The petition filed by advocate Rajiv Awasthi on behalf of Divakar Pandey and other priests, accused the management of mercilessly beating them up on July 4 this year with the help of "ruffians, goons and police personnel" for raising the demand for minimum wages.

The temple management was annoyed that the priests had formed the Shri Adya Katyayani Shakti Peeth Mandir Employees Welfare Association which was registered on May 2, it said.

The management allegedly threatened some of the association members. Despite fax messages to the Prime Minister, Home Minister, Lt Governor of Delhi and the police chief, no action had been taken and no FIR was registered against the people allegedly involved in the incident, the petitioners complained.