SC Asks Tamil Nadu Government To Explain Its Action Plan On Formation Of Temple Trustee Committees

The Supreme Court today directed the Tamil Nadu government to file an affidavit detailing its proposed actions regarding the appointment of trustee committees, or "Arangavalar Committees," for Hindu temples across the state.

The Bench of Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice Aravind Kumar granted the State of Tamil Nadu four weeks to submit its response and scheduled the matter for further hearing in February 2025.

The Court said, "File an affidavit as to what you (the state government) propose to do.”

The Court passed the directions in a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by the Hindu Dharma Parishad, which challenged the December 2021 ruling of the Madras High Court dismissing its petition for mandatory trustee committees for all Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu.

During the hearing, the State government represented by Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta informed the Court that applications had been invited for trustee committee appointments from 31,000 temples, and committees were constituted for over 7,500 temples. However, many temples had not responded to the government's efforts.

The Petitioner argued that approximately 40,000 temples in Tamil Nadu, including several historical and older ones, are in dire need of maintenance, with some facing damage due to neglect. The petitioner proposed that at least 10% of temple offerings should be allocated for temple upkeep.

The Petitioner also sought trustee committees with diverse representation, including a retired judge, a social activist, a devotee, a Scheduled Caste member, and a woman, to better manage temple affairs. It claimed that the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Act, 1959, did not adequately address the issue.

However, the State Government countered that the HR&CE Act already provided for trustee appointments under Section 47(1)(c). The provision mandates trustee boards with three to five members, including mandatory representation for Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes and women.

Cause Title: Hindu Dharma Parishad Vs State of Tamil Nadu [SLP(C) No. 2197/2022; Diary No. 1014/2022]