NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday directed TN government to bring on record information related to temples where the process of appointment of trustees in temples is complete, is underway and in which some extra time will be taken to complete the same.
A bench of Justices AS Bopanna and Hima Kohli said, “List after 4 weeks to enable the respondents to bring on record information related to temples where process of appointment has been complete, where the process is underway & in which some extra time will be taken to complete the process.” In a plea, The Hindu Dharma Parishad had sought appointment of Arangavalar Committee (Trustee Committee) headed by Retired Judge in all Hindu Temples with a social activist, a devotee, an SC person and a woman as its Members to manage the Temples.
The plea was preferred by the Parishad against Madras HC’s order of dismissing its writ seeking similar relief. It was argued before the HC that several Hindu Temples in TN were not maintained well and destroyed.
Earlier, the state informed the SC that the process of appointment of trustees in temples has commenced for 1,045 temples in a phased manner and the appointments will be completed in six months time.
“The Trust Board is formed, in order to run the day to day administration of the religious institutions and also to implement various welfare schemes, renovation works and development activities, benefitting devotees, fit persons appointed under the Act are functioning,” the affidavit stated.
Laying emphasis on the fact that over 38,000 temples are administered by individual and separate Trust Board, state government has told the Supreme Court that it is practically impossible to appoint a Trust Board for each and every temple consisting a retired judge. The state has also called the plea erroneous for stating that all temples have land spanning lakhs of acres, thousands of buildings, and crores of rupees valued gold and diamond ornaments.