HC tells state to drop caste name from temples

CHENNAI: The MHC directed the state to remove the community name prefixed in temples at Mallasamudram, Namakkal, within two months.

Petitioner A Radhakrishnan moved the HC seeking to quash the order passed by Assistant Settlement Officer allowing a community name to be prefixed to temples at Mallasamudram. The case was listed before Justice SM Subramaniam.

According to the petitioner, the temples, Chozheeswarar Thirukoil, Alaguraya Perumal Thirukoil and Sellandiyamman Thirukoil at Mallasamudram are more than 1,000 year-old. In 1997 the ASO, Dharapuram reclassified the name of the temples by prefixing particular community name.

Government advocate for HR&CE contended that adding such prefix is unnecessary. Then the judge quashed the ASO order and directed Namakkal Collector to remove the prefixed community name.