Court Finds Prima Facie Evidence of Contempt in Devanathaswamy Temple Land Encroachment Case
The Madras High Court on Tuesday issued contempt notices to five senior IAS officers and a Joint Commissioner of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department, observing that they had prima facie failed to comply with judicial directives in a temple land encroachment case.
A First Division Bench comprising Chief Justice K.R. Shriram and Justice Sunder Mohan passed the order while hearing a contempt petition filed by S. Vinoth Raghavendran, State Secretary of the BJP’s Spiritual and Temple Development Wing. The matter has been adjourned to July 10 for further hearing.
Background: School Accused of Encroaching on Temple Land
The case originates from a 2024 writ petition alleging that St. Joseph’s Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Cuddalore district had illegally occupied land belonging to the Devanathaswamy Temple.
The petitioner claimed that two survey numbers of the disputed land were temple properties. During earlier proceedings, the HR&CE Department confirmed that the school had previously filed a writ petition in 2009, leading to a 2019 court order directing the state to allocate at least 4.5 acres of alternative land—either in Bhuvanagiri village or another suitable location—to the school.
Despite this, the Tamil Nadu government allegedly delayed action for over five years, prompting the High Court in April 2024 to order the identification of replacement land within six months.
Contempt Petition Filed Over Alleged Non-Compliance
The court had also instructed the HR&CE Department to survey surrounding temple lands within three months and take action against any encroachments. The contempt petition argues that neither directive was followed, necessitating judicial intervention.
The officials facing contempt charges include:
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P. Amudha (Former Revenue Secretary)
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S. Madhumathi (Former School Education Secretary)
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B. Chandramohan (Former HR&CE Secretary)
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P.N. Sridhar (Former HR&CE Commissioner)
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Sibi Adhithya Senthilkumar (Former Cuddalore Collector)
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A Joint Commissioner of the HR&CE Department
Court’s Stern Warning: Accountability for Delays
The Bench emphasized that the state had ample time to execute its orders, and the lack of progress suggested possible willful negligence. By issuing contempt notices, the court has signaled its intent to hold senior bureaucrats accountable for failing to implement judicial mandates.
Legal experts suggest this case could set a significant precedent in matters involving temple land disputes and bureaucratic accountability, reinforcing the judiciary’s role in ensuring compliance with its directives.
