Ayodhya, July 23 -- The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Wednesday deferred the selection of its first chief executive officer (CEO) by a month as the screening committee said it needed more time to vet three suitable applicants from the 5,200 applications received for the post. The Trust also decided to appoint a secretary in the interim to meet growing administrative requirements. The decision was taken at a meeting of the board of trustees held in Ayodhya where members also reviewed arrangements for the expected rise in the number of devotees during the Shravan month, progress on filling vacant trustee posts and several administrative and financial issues. "The Trust could not finalise its first chief executive officer as the three-member search committee told trustees it needs more time to sift through an overwhelming 5,200 applications," Govind Dev Giri, treasurer of the Trust, said after the meeting in Ayodhya. "The volume is huge. We need one additional month for proper scrutiny and to shortlist three suitable names," Giri said. Acknowledging the seriousness of the matter and the need for due diligence, the Board of Trustees accepted the request. The board noted that the delay in CEO selection should not affect day-to-day operations, said Krishna Mohan, interim general secretary of the Trust. The meeting also reviewed several critical issues related to counting donations and the role of banks. The board discussed lapses and errors on State Bank of India's part in handling donation money. The Trust had signed an MoU with the State Bank of India in the past. Expressing disappointment over the lack of seriousness and procedural gaps that came to light, the board asked the Trust's finance committee to re-examine its relationship with the SBI and review standard operating procedures before taking appropriate action. The board could not discuss the SIT report on donation irregularities because the final report is still awaited. The Trust on placed the religious life of the Ram temple directly in the hands of Ayodhya's traditional monastic community by reconstituting a new nine-member dharmik (religious) committee. The Trust also decided to revive a training institute for priests and make it permanent. The nine-member religious committee includes five seers from Ayodhya and four members from outside....