HC seeks report on paid special darshan at Meenkashi temple

The Madras High Court has directed officials of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment to file a report on a PIL seeking to cancel the paid special pass scheme for allowing devotees to have darshan during early morning pooja at the Meenakshi temple here.
The PIL submitted that everyone should be allowed to have darshan during the pooja and offer worship. The paid darshan discriminates devotees in front of the deities, it contended.
Payment should be collected only for rituals and pooja and not for darshan, the petition, filed by one Lakshmanan, said.
The temple administration had introduced a scheme by which Rs 2000 was collected for issue of ticket for paid darshan during the morning pooja. A devotee with the ticket could go near the idol, the PIL said.

In its order, a division bench of justices R Sudhakar and S Vaidhynathan of the court's Madurai bench has directed the HR and CE Commissioner and Executive Officer of Sri Meenakshi temple to file a report on the special darshan scheme and also ensure easy access to all the devotees.