‘Take immediate action to evict squatters on temple properties’

Justice S M Subramaniam while dealing with a plea moved by the Adheenakarthar of Velakuurichi Adheenam pertaining to 12.5 acres of land in Thiruvarur town and that the executive officer in connivance with the tenant was acting detrimental to the interest of the trust, directed the Commissioner to constitute special committees consisting of officials with proven integrity to ascertain all such illegalities and corrupt activities of various officials of HR&CE and conduct enquiries based on the inputs of suchcommittees.

The Commissioner is bound to initiate appropriate prosecutions under the Criminal law and disciplinary proceedings under the Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules,he added.

Another direction sought the HR &CE Commissioner to upload and publish the details of the lessees and the rent fixed of all the movable and immovable properties belonging to all the religious institutions across Tamil Nadu in the official website of the HR &CE within three months. Along with this, the judge also directed the commissioner to upload the list of defaulters of payment of rent and those in unlawful occupation of Temple lands without any valid lease or permission.

Also, observing that despite a bar on civil courts entertaining land disputes pertaining to HR&CE large number of such civil suits are pending in such courts paving way for land grabbers, land mafias and illegal persons being in possession of properties belonging to religious institutions, Justice Subramanaiam directed all the Civil Courts across the State of Tamil Nadu to verify the Civil Suits instituted against the orders passed under Section 34-A or 34-B or 34-C of the HR &CE Act and dispose the same without any lapse of time. The judge also directed the Registrar General, MHC, to communicate the copy of this order to all the Civil Courts, enabling them to consider the express bar of jurisdiction of Civil Courts as contemplated under the HR&CE Act.