Madras HC issues Notice to HR&CE over plea on performing kumbhabhishekam

Chennai: Madras high court has ordered notice to Hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR&CE) department on a plea challenging a notification issued by the commissioner, HR&CE department, to obtain permission from screening committee for performing kumbhabhishekham at all temples including non-heritage and village temples.

The division bench comprising Justices S. Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad, before which the PIL from Sendalankara Jeer Trust of Srirangam, Tiruchy 
district came up for hearing on Monday, ordered notice to special government pleader Maharajan appearing for HR&CE and posted the matter for further hearing to August 31, 2018.

According to petitioner, the notification issued by the Department on February 14, 2017 mandated all temples that falls under its jurisdiction to take permission from the screening committee for conducting kumbhabhishekham.

The notification prevented even the temples, which do not have heritage value or non-ancient temple from performing kumbhabhishekham. The guidelines mentions about the application has to be made before the screening committee appointed for the purpose of performing kumbhabhishekham and the inspection that has to be carried out by the archeological experts. 

The petitioner submitted that the notification could be made applicable only to the temples, which are ancient and having heritage value.

He sought for a direction to exempt the temples, which do not have heritage and non-ancient temple from the purview of the notification. He sought to quash the notification.