HC orders replacement of Sthapathi in panel for temple

The Madras High Court has ordered the replacement of traditional Sthapathi in the expert committee constituted by it to go into the issue of renovation and repair of some temples across Tamil Nadu.

The matter relates to the suo motu PIL taken up by the court in 2016 on renovation of temples and Heritage structures in the state.

When the matter pertaining to the PIL and other petitions relating to temple renovations came up before a division bench of Justices M Sathyanarayanan and GK Ilanthiraiyan yesterday, the counsel for HR&CE department informed that two Agama experts in the committee had attended only two meetings held by it.

The counsel, Additional Advocate General PH Aravindh Pandian also submitted that they did not cooperate with other members of the committee, consequent to which the panel was unable to decide on some works in which agama action is essentially required.

The works related to the temples that are in a dilapidated state, renovation and restoration works and Kumbabhishekam related works involving larger public interest have also been affected and thus these members have to be replaced immediately, he submitted.

To this, intervener Rangarajan Narasimhan said on account of the attitude of other members of the committee the two Agama experts were unable to discharge their duties and before replacing them their views should be heard.

The court-appointed Amicus Curie, senior counsel PS Raman submitted the views of the Agama experts may be elicited with respect to their replacement.

On the replacement of the traditional Stapathi, he told the court credentials of K Dakshinamoorthy Stapathi appear to be good.

After hearing the submissions of all the parties, the bench while referring to the criminal prosecution faced by Muthiah Stapathi concluded that he be replaced.

"Though the intervener vehemently opposed the replacement of traditional Stapathi Muthiah, the court is of the considered view that Daskshinamoorthy is the ideal replacement for Muthiah Stapathi and therefore he shall take charge of the traditional Stapathi of the expert committee," it said.

While passing orders on the Agama experts, the bench said, "though the two Agama experts are not cooperating with the other members of the committee this court is of the considered view that the views of them be elicited before replacement."