Madurai: Madras high court has summoned the commissioner of the Hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR and CE) department on a contempt petition for non-compliance with a court order to remove encroachments from Kalyana Pasupatheeswarar Temple lands in Karur district.
In 2022, the court directed the authorities to issue proper notices to all the parties who are said to be in possession of the properties. A division bench of Justice P Velmurugan and Justice K K Ramakrishnan also directed the commissioner to file a status report in the case. The court also impleaded secretary to the revenue department, secretary to home department, secretary to tourism, culture and endowments department, commissioner of revenue administration, commissioner of land administration, Karur district collector and inspector general of police, central zone. On receipt of such notices, the parties are directed to file their respective objections along with documents available with them to the authority concerned. On filing of objections, the authorities are directed to consider the same and pass appropriate orders on merits and in accordance with law. If the authorities decide on the basis of the civil court decrees as well as the materials available that these parties are encroachers in the temple properties, then steps should be taken to evict them after affording them sufficient opportunity of hearing and by following due process of law.