HR and CE officials at the receiving end again

In yet another instance of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department officials facing the heat over their alleged failure to protect temple properties, the Madras High Court said that the authorities who caused financial loss to temple properties due to lapse, dereliction of duty or negligence were liable to be prosecuted.

Protecting temples and their properties were their mandate under the provisions of the HR&CE Act, pointed out Justice SM Subramaniam. As per Section 34-A (1) of the Act, the lease amount for temple properties should be revised every three years based on the recommendation of a committee comprising joint commissioner, and executive officer, trustee or the chairman of the board of trustees, and the district registrar, after considering the prevailing market rental value, he added.

“If the committee fails to re-fix the lease amount, the authorities competent who committed lapse, dereliction of duty and negligence and caused financial loss to the temple properties are liable to be prosecuted in accordance with the law,” the judge said while dismissing a petition filed by the Mylapore Club represented by its secretary.

The petitioner had sought a direction to quash a demand notice issued by the HR&CE Department seeking it to pay a revised lease amount for a property of Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore.

However, the judge turned down the plea stating that demand notice was after following the procedures contemplated in accordance with the provisions of the Act and Rules, and communication was sent to the person concerned.

“On receipt of any such demand, the person against whom such notice is issued may either comply with the demand made or raise objections before the competent authority or appellate authority in case of any objections,” the judge said.