In a significant development, the Madras High Court has ordered a stay on all civil works, including construction, renovation and other development activities, in heritage temples and in areas impinging upon heritage temples across Tamil Nadu, until proper statutory safeguards are put in place.
The interim order was passed by a Division Bench of the Madras High Court while hearing a writ petition challenging the construction of a shopping complex in front of the ancient Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai. The petition contended that the construction violated heritage norms and threatened the architectural and cultural integrity of the historic temple precincts.
Earlier, on 9 October 2025, the High Court had directed the Tamil Nadu government to constitute the Heritage Commission as mandated under the Tamil Nadu Heritage Commission Act, 2012. The court had initially granted one month’s time for compliance. Subsequently, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department and the State government sought an extension of another month.
When the matter was taken up again, the State sought an additional three months to complete the process. During the hearing, it also emerged that the government had issued a notification calling for applications from heritage experts only through an internal departmental website, without mentioning a clear date and without wider public notice. The court was informed that the website itself was inaccessible when the Bench attempted to verify the notification.
Taking serious note of this, the Division Bench directed the State government to issue a fresh notification within one week through all leading newspapers, inviting applications for membership in the Heritage Commission. The court further ordered that applicants be given two weeks’ time to submit their applications.
The Bench directed that the Heritage Commission must be formally constituted within one month thereafter. It also made it clear that no civil works, construction or renovation activities in ancient or heritage temples, or in areas affecting them, shall be undertaken without obtaining approval from the duly constituted Heritage Commission.
The order is expected to have statewide implications, effectively placing a temporary halt on temple-related construction activities until the statutory body is in place and functional.
HUGE News from Madras High Court!!
ALL CIVIL WORKS/Constructions/Renovations in Heritage Temples and impinging upon Heritage Temples across Tamil Nadu stayed.
In my Writ Petition challenging construction of Shopping Complex right in front of the ancient Sri… pic.twitter.com/6ww0n4VPNS
— trramesh (@trramesh) January 29, 2026
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