In yet another blow to the ruling DMK government in Tamil Nadu, the Madras High Court has said that it would quash the 2013 order of the HR&CE department that allowed for taking over Ayodhya Mandapam.
On March 31, 2022, a single judge bench of the Madras High Court dismissing the writ petition, passed orders that whether the Ayodhya Mandapam is a temple or not cannot be decided in writ proceedings.
As the Court did not give an injunction, it became easy for the ruling DMK government to swing into action. On April 11, 2022, the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department of the Tamil Nadu Government, took over the decades old Ayodhya Mandapam in Chennai, despite strong protests from local residents and other Hindu orgnizations.
Sri Ram Samaj, which administers the Ayodhya Mandapam petitioned the Madras High Court against the HR&CE Department’s take over.
On Tuesday (April 26, 2022), Chief Justice of Madras High Court Munishwar Nath Bhandari observed how a single judge can dismiss the writ petition by Sri Ram Samaj after eight years, citing availability of alternative remedy.
In defense, the Advocate General of the Tamil Nadu government said that the HR&CE department has not interfered in the school and marriage hall run by the society adding that a ‘Fit Person’ has been appointed only with respect to religious activities carried out by the Samaj.
The Chief Just asked Advocate General R Shunmugasundaram to show the letter where the Samaj had reportedly admitted that pooja is being conducted every day. He said that the Samaj has prima facie made no such admission.
The Chief Justice also pulled up the government saying that a copy of the complaint was not given to the Samaj and only a show cause notice had been issued.
“This typical govt working will not be endorsed by the court”, he said and warned that his Bench will set aside the order passed by the single judge.
The Chief Justice also noted that the Bench will set aside the single judge’s recent order as well as HR&CE’s 2013 order and will give allow the department to conduct a fresh inquiry against the Samaj.
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