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 needs 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. This was the Trust's second key meeting in Ayodhya following the alleged donation theft controversy, which surfaced in June. 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 a Memorandum of Understanding 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 expressed satisfaction that the system for checking the quantity and purity of gold and silver offerings with the mint, an auxiliary institution of the Reserve Bank of India, will continue uninterrupted. The board could not discuss the SIT report on irregularities in the counting process of offerings because the final report is still awaited. The board also noted the progress of petitions filed in the Supreme Court on the issue and the directions issued by the court to the state government to constitute an SIT of the UP Police. On security, the trustees reviewed access to CCTV cameras installed across the temple premises. They expressed satisfaction that live feed from all cameras, including those in the donation counting room, has already been made available to all security officers. The board noted the ongoing process to fill vacant Trustee posts. It was informed that the process will take a few more weeks and that a committee has been formed for the purpose. To ensure consistent communication with the public and media, the Trust decided to appoint a spokesperson. Despite the allegations and controversy, the board noted that the number of devotees visiting the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple remains unchanged. Calling this proof that the faith of crores of Ram devotees remains unshaken despite "baseless, false and misleading" allegations, the board expressed gratitude to the entire community of seers, devotees coming from across the country and abroad, and the people of Awadh for their unwavering support....