In a significant development concerning the acquisition of land around the famous Sri Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple in Palani, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has recorded the Tamil Nadu government’s assurance that the properties acquired around the temple hill would be purchased in the name of the Palani temple and not in the name of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department.
The development came during the final hearing of a case filed by temple activist TR Ramesh challenging Government Order (GO) No. 321 dated 26 December 2022 issued by the previous DMK government.
The challenged government order had authorised the HR&CE Department to acquire 58.76 acres of land surrounding the Sri Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple at Palani using funds drawn from the HR&CE Administration Fund. The Administration Fund is maintained using contributions collected from temples across Tamil Nadu.
Ramesh had objected to the move, arguing that land intended for the benefit of the Palani temple should not be acquired in the name of the HR&CE Department using funds pooled from temples across the State.
The matter came up before a Division Bench comprising Justice GR Swaminathan and Justice R Poornima.
During the hearing, the Tamil Nadu government informed the court that the earlier approach had been reconsidered and that the acquired properties would now be purchased using funds belonging to the Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple itself. The government further stated that the properties would be registered in the name of the temple and that only formal government approval for the revised arrangement remained pending.
Appearing for the petitioner, advocate Niranjan Rajagopal submitted that the Supreme Court had previously approved similar acquisitions of adjoining lands in the name of the deity in the Banke Bihari Temple matter and argued that the same principle ought to be followed in the Palani case as well.
Recording the submissions made by the government, the High Court noted that the lands would be held in the name of the Palani Devasthanam. The Bench also observed that the HR&CE Administration Fund can be utilised only for the purposes specifically provided under Sections 92 and 96 of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959.
The observation is being viewed as significant because it reiterates statutory limitations on the utilisation of the Administration Fund maintained by the HR&CE Department.
Great news from Madurai Bench of Madras High Court !!!
I had challenged the Government Order No. 321 dated 26.12.2022 passed by the anti-Temple DMK Government authorizing the @tnhrcedept to Department to acquire 58.76 acres around Sri Dhandayuthapni Swamy Temple, in Pazhani -… pic.twitter.com/Y6LTQNPQKn
— trramesh (@trramesh) June 23, 2026
The department has also agreed that the patta for the acquired land can be obtained in the name of the temple, thereby making the Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple the sole owner of the property.
Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department has accepted Palani Dhandayudhapaniswamy Temple trustees’ proposal to reimburse ₹58.54 crore from the temple funds to the HR&CE administrative fund so that the temple could become the sole owner of 23.78.5…
— Mohamed Imranullah S (@imranhindu) June 23, 2026
The acquisition was originally undertaken to facilitate the development of infrastructure and amenities for the millions of devotees who visit the hill temple every year.
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