Temple activist and advocate TR Ramesh has issued a notice to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department under the TVK government and the Executive Officer of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam, alleging that a Tamil Nadu Government hospital has been occupying 2.58 acres of temple land for nearly five decades without paying rent.
According to the notice, the property located in Srirangam has been occupied by the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services since 1976 for running the Government Hospital.
Ramesh alleged that the State government had neither obtained a valid lease agreement nor paid rent for the property. He has sought recovery of the accumulated rent from 1976, along with 7.95% annual interest compounded quarterly.
The notice estimates that the land, described as prime property in Srirangam, is currently worth more than ₹80 crore. It also refers to a Supreme Court judgment dated February 10, 1965, and provisions of the Tamil Nadu HR&CE Act, 1959, while seeking action against the alleged encroachment.
Ramesh has further alleged that the accumulated rent due to the Srirangam temple could exceed ₹14 crore and has demanded that the amount be recovered from the State government with interest.
The notice also refers to audit observations concerning 64 other land-related issues involving Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple. Ramesh has sought a dedicated government order and financial allocation to address the accumulated dues and resolve the issues identified by temple auditors.
The notice states that if the government or its departments refuse, delay or stop payment of the accumulated rent, proceedings under Sections 78 and 79-B of the Tamil Nadu HR&CE Act should be initiated by the Regional Joint Commissioner of HR&CE.
Ramesh has also called for the authorities to refrain from granting any permission or No Objection Certificate for further construction or alteration of structures on the disputed property until the alleged dues to the temple are cleared.
The notice further asks the temple administration to submit an action plan addressing the audit objections relating to temple properties, with the proposed action to be initiated within four weeks and the deficiencies identified by the auditors to be rectified within six months.
In his X post, Ramesh alleged that the Tamil Nadu Government itself was among the biggest encroachers of temple properties and accused successive DMK and AIADMK governments of allowing temple lands to remain vulnerable to encroachment and unauthorised occupation.
He also questioned whether the government would have occupied land belonging to a Waqf institution or a church for decades without paying rent, while alleging that similar treatment was being meted out to Hindu temple properties.
Ramesh further criticised the appointment of IAS officers as HR&CE Commissioners, claiming that the department should instead be headed by judicial officers as contemplated under the HR&CE Act. He alleged that bureaucrats had failed to adequately protect temple properties and the religious rights associated with them.
Calling for urgent intervention, Ramesh urged Tamil Nadu HR&CE Minister P.K. Ramesh to examine the matter and described the alleged Srirangam land issue as potentially another major controversy involving temple property.
Yesterday – I issued notice to the Secretary, Religious Endowments Department – Commissioner of @tnhrcedept and the Executive Officer of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam (who is functioning without valid legal orders) to evict the TN Government Hospital which is occupying… pic.twitter.com/Irfk1ZgNdO
— trramesh (@trramesh) August 19, 2026
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