HC moved against paid pass in Meenakshi temple

A petition has been filed in Madras High Court Bench here seeking to cancel 'paid pass' system for two morning sevas at the Sri Meenakshi Amman temple here on the ground it caused discrimination among the devotees.
Justice S.Vaidhyanathan and Justice R.Mahadevan posted the petition for hearing after Christmas vacation ending next week.
Petitioner Rm Arun Swaminathan sought a direction to the authorities to scrap the pass system which allows devotees darshan during "Thiruvananthal" and "Tirupalliezhuchi" sevas for payment of Rs 100.
He submitted that as per Sec 57 of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Act, the Temple authorities are supposted to collect money from the devotees only for services, ritual and ceremonies and not for darshan.

The new pay darshan for the two sevas had affected the Ayappa devotees and locals. The staff were not respecting the free darshan devotees and manhandled them, he charged.