Infrastructure development should align with ethos of temple, says HC

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has quashed a G.O. issued by the State providing for the expenditures in respect of civil works, construction and allied work in Kallazhagar temple in Alagarkoil in Madurai.

A Division Bench of Justices Anita Sumanth and C. Kumarappan observed that the raison d’etre or purpose of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department was primarily to preserve and maintain the temples, meaning, that the pristine and holy premises of a temple must be tended to, repaired or restored when required and maintained such that the sanctity is not diluted.

“The department has envisioned the temple as a ‘project’ requiring development and upgradation. The concepts, in our view, are alien to a temple. We are not averse to the provision of facilities that are needed by devotees and visitors to a temple and suggestions for such infrastructural facilities may come from any source, including the authorities”.

“However, it is only the Board of Trustees that may consider such suggestions, take decisions and spearhead the provisions of the same. While any person may be proactive and take an interest in temple administration and management, only the trustees may decisively take action with regard to this. The G.O. issued in 2024 and the proceedings constitute usurpation of the role of the temple management by the State,” the court said.

Though the tenure of the Board had expired at the end of October 2025, there was nothing to show that proceedings had been initiated under Section 46 of the Act to constitute the new Board. We cannot fathom why there should be a time gap between the tenure of one Board to another, the court said.

The court directed immediate measures be taken for constitution of a new Board of Trustees in line with the court directions and necessary amendments be made to bring the management of Kallazhagar temple in line with the Act and the Rules.

While we do not intend that the temple premises should stand frozen in time with no infrastructure provided for the safety and comfort of devotees and visitors, we are very clear that whatever is done in the name of development should align with the ethos of a temple, the court observed.

The court issued a slew of directions for the proper maintenance of the temple premises, including the restoration of the Vasantha Mandapam as expeditiously as possible.