The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered statutory notice to the Joint Commissioner of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, Dindigul, on a contempt petition challenging the order issued by the Joint Commissioner to bring Sri Muthalamman, Sri Mariamman temple in Uthapuram in Madurai district under the control of the HR and CE Department.
A Division Bench of Justices G.R. Swaminathan and R. Poornima directed that the order be kept in abeyance. The court was hearing the petition filed by G. Pandi of Uthapuram in Peraiyur Taluk in Madurai district.
The petitioner said that in the operative portion of the order issued on August 31, the Joint Commissioner directed that the temple be brought under the direct departmental control of the HR and CE Department, and further directed the Assistant Commissioner, Theni, and the Inspector, Peraiyur, to take immediate steps to bring the temple under direct departmental control.
He said the court, while issuing directions on the appeal preferred by the district administration, had directed the Joint Commissioner to initiate suo motu proceedings under Section 63 (e) of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, which empowers the authorities to decide on the customs or established usage of the religious institution, specifically concerning the form of worship of the Peepal tree.
No part of the order authorises or empowers the HR&CE Department to take over, or to bring under its direct departmental control, the administration of the temple. On the contrary, the court had directed that the district administration shall not prevent Vellalar (Pillaimar) Uravinmurai and the community members from administering the temple in any manner, he said.
He said the order issued by the Joint Commissioner amounts to contempt of the court order. The members of the Vellalar (Pillaimar) Uravinmurai stand to be ousted from the administration of the temple, he said and sought a direction to restrain the authorities from interfering in the management and administration of the temple.
Published – September 16, 2026 09:12 pm IST
