‘Will not hesitate to summon chief secy over temple security’, says Madras High Court

Court says directives to strengthen strong rooms were not fully implemented

CHENNAI:The Madras High Court observed on Friday that it would not hesitate to summon even the Chief Secretary if the court orders are not implemented.When the matter relating to the idol theft cases came up, taking a serious view that his directives with regard to strengthening the strong rooms in temples were not fully implemented, Justice R Mahadevan said he would be constrained to order the appearance of the Chief Secretary if immediate steps are not taken to fortify the strong rooms.

When the Additional Advocate-General said there was no necessity to summon the CS as the HR&CE Commissioner had made his presence in the court, the judge pointed out that the courts have ample power to summon the Chief Secretary. However, he refrained himself from doing so.

The judge had directed the government to strengthen the strong rooms in temples where the idols and jewellery of the deities are kept.The AAG submitted that about 11,512 temples have strong rooms, yet 3,000 more are to be built. The government may need time till 2021, he said.The judge said that the government had woken up only after the court’s orders.

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