Lucknow, Aug. 11 -- The hunt for the first full-time chief executive officer (CEO) of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust enters its final lap on Tuesday with a high-powered panel interviewing 18 shortlisted candidates picked from 5,200 applicants. The trust decided to appoint a full-time CEO after the Ram temple donation embezzlement allegations came to light.

All 18 candidates reached Ayodhya late on Monday night and stayed at various locations in the temple town suggested by the Trust, said a senior official of the Trust.

The interview process will be carried out at the conference room of the Ram temple's pilgrim facilitation centre in Ayodhya behind closed doors.

If the interviews are not completed on Tuesday, the process...