The Madras High Court has issued notice to the Tamil Nadu Government and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department on a Public Interest Litigation challenging the amendments made to the Fixation of Lease Rent for Properties of Hindu Religious Institutions Rules, notified through G.O. Ms. No. 29 dated 14 January 2026.
The PIL contends that the amended rules contain several inconsistencies and violate the statutory framework governing temple properties.
The challenge comes amid growing legal scrutiny over four major amendments introduced by the previous DMK government to the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Act, 1959, and the rules framed under it during the final months preceding the 2026 Assembly elections.
In the last few months of DMK rule before the Assembly elections, four amendments were carried out by the Government in the TN HR&CE Act, 1959 and in certain Rules under the Act.
1. Amendments in Section 35 to facilitate unbridled looting of temple funds (L.A. Bill 40 of… pic.twitter.com/HuvrFBLnOM— trramesh (@trramesh) June 30, 2026
Four Amendments Under Challenge
The four amendments relate to:
- Amendment to Section 35 of the Tamil Nadu HR&CE Act, 1959 through L.A. Bill No. 40 of 2025;
- The Alienation of Immovable Properties of Religious Institutions Rules, 2025, notified through G.O. Ms. No. 478 dated 1 December 2025;
- Amendments to the Religious Institutions (Custody, Investments and Lending or Borrowing of Moneys) Rules, 1963, notified through G.O. Ms. No. 83 dated 17 February 2026; and
- Amendments to the Fixation of Lease Rent for Properties of Hindu Religious Institutions Rules through G.O. Ms. No. 29 dated 14 January 2026.
Section 35 Amendment Awaiting Assent
Among the changes is the proposed amendment to Section 35 of the HR&CE Act through L.A. Bill No. 40 of 2025.
The Bill proposes expanding the purposes for which trustees may utilise temple funds. Under the proposed amendment, temple funds could be spent on activities such as training institutions, religious propagation, development of temple properties, educational institutions and other purposes considered beneficial to devotees.
However, the amendment has not yet come into force, as it is awaiting the assent of the Governor of Tamil Nadu.
Alienation Rules
The Alienation of Immovable Property of Religious Institutions Rules, 2025, notified through G.O. Ms. No. 478 dated 1 December 2025, amended the framework governing the alienation of temple properties.
Investment Rules Already Before Court
The amendments to the Religious Institutions (Custody, Investments and Lending or Borrowing of Moneys) Rules, notified through G.O. Ms. No. 83 dated 17 February 2026, have already been challenged before the Madras High Court.
The amended rules permit temple funds to be invested not only in scheduled commercial banks and cooperative banks but also in specified State-owned non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), including the Tamil Nadu Power Finance and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited and the Tamil Nadu Transport Development Finance Corporation Limited.
Following the challenge, the present State Government has provided a sovereign guarantee for temple deposits invested with the Tamil Nadu Power Finance and Infrastructure Development Corporation. The matter is expected to be heard again in the coming weeks.
Lease Rent Rules Before High Court
The latest PIL challenges the amendments to the lease rent rules governing temple properties, arguing that the revised framework suffers from legal inconsistencies and statutory violations.
Taking cognisance of the petition, the First Bench of the Madras High Court has issued notice to the State Government and the HR&CE Department seeking their response.
Senior Advocate Sankaranarayanan and Advocate B Jagannath represented the matter before the High Court.
It remains to be seen whether Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and HR&CE Minister S Ramesh would review the amendments introduced by the previous DMK government to the Tamil Nadu HR&CE Act and the Rules and withdraw or repeal the amendments that are detrimental to Hindu temples and their administration.
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