Court rules that temple assets may be used only for religious purposes
The ruling exposes a systemic misuse of Hindu temple wealth under State control. Hindus must demand uniform enforcement of this ruling nationwide, ensuring that temple funds are utilised solely for religious purposes. – Editor, HJS
Chennai – In a landmark judgment, the Madras High Court has overturned the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government’s decision to utilise the surplus funds of the Kallazhagar Temple for commercial facilities. The government had planned to spend approximately 40 crore rupees of temple money to build a restaurant, shops, flats, and other commercial amenities; however, the court quashed the project, declaring it legally unsound.
The High Court described the unauthorised diversion of religious funds as a “crime against the Deity” and clarified that temple assets must be used exclusively for religious purposes. The bench ruled that the government’s decision violated the religious sentiments of the temple and breached the relevant ‘Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act’, which clearly states that only a duly constituted Board of Trustees, not government administrators, has the legal authority to approve projects involving temple property.
The Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department had wrongly treated temple lands as State property and and bypassed mandatory budgetary procedures and trustee approval before committing to the large-scale expenditure.
