HC directs TN govt to evict shops in temples

The Madras High Court today directed the Tamil Nadu government to initiate action to evict commercial establishments located in 36,000 temples.

Justice S M Subramaniam ordered the secretary and the commissioner of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR and CE) department, administering the temples, to ensure that consolidated circular for evicting the shops should be issued by officials within eight weeks.

He was dismissing a batch of petitions challenging recent notices by various temple administrations asking them to vacate the shops citing safety among other reasons.

The circular and instructions should contain the procedures to be followed for the purpose of evicting all the commercial establishments, situated inside the temple premises.

The circular should contain a clause mentioning that any violation of the instructions and procedures contemplated would be viewed seriously and suitable disciplinary action initiated against the officials concerned, the judge said.

The court orders comes in the backdrop of a major fire in the famous Meenakshi temple here that damaged several shops last month.