Madras High Court criticises HR&CE department over delay in punishing former temple officer

The Madras High Court has pulled up the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department for failing to take quick action in 2011 against a former Executive Officer accused of letting tenants build permanent structures on temple lands.

Details of Misconduct

The court stated that the case against former Executive Officer R. Jayakumar of the Thiyagaraja Swamy Temple in Tiruvarur showed poor oversight. In 2011, he allowed tenants to take over valuable temple properties and failed to cancel land ownership documents given to private individuals. He was also accused of giving ₹40 lakh of temple money to a civil contractor without proper approval.

Court Rulings

Devotees and the Adheenam complained about these actions, which eventually led to the officer's dismissal from service in 2015. However, a single judge of the High Court had ordered that the punishment be reduced to a five-year denial of promotion and directed the department to take the petitioner back into service in 2024. The Second Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and Krishnaswamy Govindarajan set aside that order, stating that reducing the punishment under writ jurisdiction is legally incorrect and that dismissal was the right penalty for the proved misconduct.

Context

The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department is responsible for managing public temples and their properties in the state. Courts often examine how government bodies oversee temple assets to prevent illegal land grabs and protect religious properties.