HC seeks report on Meenakshi temple renovation work

Madurai: Madras high court on Monday directed the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) department to file a report on completion of the renovation work carried out in the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai.A division bench of Justice C V Karthikeyan and Justice R Sakthivel also sought the details of encroachments in the properties belonging to the temple.The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by A Radhakrishnan. The petitioner stated that in 2021, the high court had directed the chief secretary to the Tamil Nadu government to convene a meeting with the heads of all departments to formulate a mechanism or rules to safeguard temple properties in the state.

Thereafter, a meeting was convened in Aug 2021, in which the chief secretary instructed the authorities to take necessary action and submit a report at the next meeting.

However, no further meetings were held.Hence, the petitioner moved court seeking a direction to the authorities to safeguard properties of the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple and its sub temples. The petitioner also sought a direction to the authorities to expedite the renovation work carried out at the temple.