Supreme Court issues notice to Tamil Nadu on Hindu Dharma Parishad’s plea to have Trustee Committees headed by retired judge for temples

The Supreme Court recently issued notice in a special leave petition filed by the Hindu Dharma Parishad seeking appointment of a Aragavalar (Trustee) Committee headed by a retired judge at all Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu (Hindu Dharma Parishad v. The State of Tamil Nadu and ors.).A Bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and JK Maheswari issued the notice on an appeal against an order of the Madras High Court..The petitioner had contended before the Madras High Court that Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu were not maintained well and were mismanaged and destroyed. The appointment of an Aragavalar Committee (Trustee Committee), headed by a retired judge, a social activist, a devotee, a Scheduled Caste person and a woman as its members, was sought towards managing Hindu temples..The Madras High Court rejected the arguments of the petitioner after the Advocate General .R.Shanmugasundaram pointed out that Section 47(1) (c) of The Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959, governs the field..As per Section 47(1)(c) of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, every board of trustees constituted under clause (a) or clause (b) of the Act shall consist of not less than three and not more than five persons, of whom one shall be a member of the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes and another one shall be a woman."As already there is a statutory provision, as has been demanded by the petitioner, there is nothing for adjudication in this writ petition and for issuing suitable directions," the Madras High Court had said while rejecting the plea..The petitioner-organisation then moved the Supreme Court seeking the following reliefs:“(A) To appoint a Aragavalar Committee (Trustee Committee) headed by retired judge in all Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu.(B) To that Aragavalar Committee (Trustee Committee) an advocate, a social activist, a devotee, a scheduled caste person, a woman should be appointed.".Advocate Jaya Sukin along with Advocate-on-Record Narender Kumar Verma appeared for the petitioner..[Read Madras High Court and Supreme Court orders]