Initiate action to retrieve temple properties, Court tells HR&CE

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department to conduct an enquiry and initiate all appropriate actions to retrieve the properties belonging to temples and religious institutions.

Justice SM Subramaniam observed that certain petitions were filed without impleading the temple authorities and the HR&CE department in property matters, as the greedy men were creating a sequence of documents to grab properties belonging to the temples.

“Such petitions are filed behind the back of the temple authorities and the department. Orders are also obtained for unjust gains and in those orders, wherein the temple is not a party, are not binding on the temple,” observed the Justice. “To put an end to the illegal grabbing of large-scale of temple properties across the State, the HR&CE has to conduct a roving enquiry, collect documents and initiate all appropriate actions to retrieve the properties. The High Court being Parens Patriae has to step in and to protect the interest of the temples by going to any extent.”

Petitioner V Kumar moved the Madras HC seeking to direct the sub-registrar, Thousand Lights, to register the land which he purchased and direct the Tahsildar to consider the patta application. According to the petitioner, he had bought 3,136 square feet of land in South Mada Street, Nungambakkam.

However, the HR&CE department submitted documents before the court stating that the land belonged to Arulmigu Agatheswarar Prasana Venkatesa Perumal Koil and demanded the dismissal of petition.

After this, Kumar chose to withdraw the petition. But, the special government pleader NRR Arun Natarajan appeared for the HR&CE raised serious objections. “Several such petitions were withdrawn on earlier occasions with an idea to grab the property belonging to the temples,” said Arun. “The facts must be recorded in the present petition to prevent such persons from dealing with temple properties in a suspicious manner.”

After the submission, the Justice directed HR&CE to initiate action to retrieve all temple properties for honouring donors’ sentiments and for the benefit of temple and devotees and dismissed the petition.

BlurbThe HR&CE department submitted documents before the court stating that the land belonged to Arulmigu Agatheeswarar Prasana Venkatesa Perumal Koil