The Tamil Nadu State Information Commission has directed the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department to proactively disclose details of the movable and immovable assets of all temples under its control and make the information available to devotees at department offices and the respective temples, as reported in Times of India.
The information is to be displayed through posters or notice boards and should cover temple properties across categories, including agricultural land, vacant land, commercial properties and residential buildings.
The HR&CE Department has also been directed to publish details of endowments made in favour of individual temples, along with the names of lessees, lease periods and pending dues.
The disclosure should also cover movable assets held by temples, including bank deposits, bank account details, PAN details, gold and other precious metals in temple possession, as well as details of donors.
Information Commissioner V.P.R. Ilamparithi has given the department 90 days to comply with the directions.
Order Follows RTI Appeal Over Tiruvanmiyur Temple
The directions were issued while disposing of a second appeal filed by M. Ravishankar of Mandavelipakkam.
Ravishankar had sought details of properties belonging to the Maruntheeswarar Temple in Tiruvanmiyur under the Right to Information Act in 2025. He approached the State Information Commission after being dissatisfied with the response from the appellate authority.
While disposing of the appeal, Ilamparithi directed the HR&CE Department to go beyond responding to individual RTI applications and proactively publish information that is required to be made available under Section 4 of the RTI Act.
Apart from property details, the department has been directed to publish temple history, festivals, account books, audit details, government orders, circulars and other information mandated under Section 4 of the RTI Act on its official website.
90% Of Pending Appeals Concern Temple Assets
The Information Commissioner noted that at least 2,000 RTI appeals were pending before the State Information Commission. According to the order, around 90% of these appeals concerned the assets of various Hindu temples across Tamil Nadu.
Ilamparithi also referred to the HR&CE Department’s earlier efforts towards proactive disclosure of temple properties.
He noted that a circular issued by then HR&CE Commissioner Meikandadevan in 1997 had made the display of temple endowments mandatory. A subsequent HR&CE circular issued in 2021 had also reinforced the requirement to publish details of temple properties on the department’s official website.
The Information Commissioner observed that devotees should not have to file individual RTI applications and wait for the statutory response period to obtain information that is already required to be disclosed proactively.
He also noted that the large number of such appeals reflected the demands of thousands of devotees visiting temples across the State.
The order, dated September 1, directed the HR&CE Department to implement the disclosure measures within 90 days.
STOP PRESS!
FANTASTIC NEWS from Tamil Nadu State Information Commission (SIC) !
Order dated 02.09.2026 issued by Shri V.P.R. Elampartihi – State Information Commissioner !
A well-reasoned order by the State Information Commissioner Elamparithi Sir – an order that… pic.twitter.com/AHTpxXKic1
— trramesh (@trramesh) September 3, 2026
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