In a major victory for temple worshippers and public interest litigants, the First Division Bench of the Madras High Court has ordered an immediate halt to all ongoing and proposed civil construction projects by the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department that are in violation of binding judicial precedents.
The order came in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by temple activist and president of the Temple Worshippers Society, TR Ramesh. The petition challenged a Government Order (G.O.) permitting the construction of a shopping complex on the sacred lands of the historic Sri Nellaiappar Temple in Tirunelveli.
Advocate B. Jagannath, appearing for the petitioner, argued that such constructions directly violate the landmark judgment of the Madras High Court in the Sri Nandeeswarar Temple case, which was recently affirmed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in May 2025.
Senior Counsel Satish Parasaran and Advocate Niranjan represented the petitioner in various matters, highlighting that multiple ongoing projects across Tamil Nadu are in contempt of this ruling and involve misuse of temple funds exceeding ₹1,000 crore.
The Bench, expressing serious concern, questioned why the HR&CE Department continues to bring forward construction proposals despite clear legal prohibitions. It directed the state government to maintain status quo on all such constructions and asked the department to file its counter-affidavit within three weeks. The next hearing is scheduled for 24 July 2025.
Senior Government Pleader Arun Natarajan, appearing for the HR&CE Department, opposed the plea but sought time to respond.
Jai Shri Ram!
Har Har Mahadev!This is HUGE. Hon'ble Chief Justice's Bench of the Madras High Court puts on hold all civil works (Rs.1000/ – +++ )Crores using temple funds and properties — but in violation of the law laid down by the Hon'ble Bench in Sri Nandiswarar… pic.twitter.com/q7JHjnUiKv
— trramesh (@trramesh) June 19, 2025
This interim order effectively halts large-scale commercial and civil projects being funded by temple wealth, ensuring that no further construction proceeds without legal scrutiny. Activists hailed the verdict as a significant safeguard for the sanctity and resources of Hindu temples.
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