Madras high court on Tuesday ordered statutory notice to the joint commissioner of Hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR and CE) department, Dindigul, on a contempt petition challenging the official’s order to bring Uthapuram temple
He stated that he had earlier filed a petition in 2024, seeking a direction to forbear the authorities from stopping the vellalar (pillaimar) uravinmurai from opening the Sri Muthalamman and Sri Mariamman temple situated in Uthapuram village and consequently grant permission to conduct daily poojas and celebrate festivals. In 2025, a division bench had directed the authorities not to prevent the people of pillaimar community from administering the temple in any manner. The petitioner stated that in the operative portion of the order passed on August 31, the joint commissioner directed that the temple be brought under the direct departmental control of the HR and CE department, and further directed the assistant commissioner, Theni, and the inspector, Peraiyur, to take immediate steps to bring the temple under direct departmental control. No part of the 2025 court order authorises or empowers the HR and CE department to take over, or to bring under its direct departmental control, the administration of the temple.
The single judge had ordered the opening of the temple in Uthapuram that had been closed for nearly 10 years from 2014 due to communal issues between two communities. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Madurai | Silver Rate in Madurai | Bank Holidays in Madurai | Public Holidays in Madurai | Madurai AQI | Weather in Madurai | Petrol Price in Madurai | Diesel Price in Madurai | CNG Price in Madurai | LPG Price in Madurai Stay updated with the latest Madurai news.
He said the order issued by the joint commissioner amounts to contempt of the court order. A division bench of Justice G R Swaminathan and Justice R Poornima also directed the order passed by the joint commissioner to be kept in abeyance. The court was hearing a contempt petition filed by G Pandi of Uthapuram in Peraiyur taluk, Madurai district. He stated that the Madurai district collector had preferred an appeal challenging the order of the single bench. The members of the vellalar (pillaimar) uravinmurai stand to be ousted from the administration of the temple. Hence, the petitioner filed the present petition seeking a direction to restrain the authorities from interfering in the management and administration of the temple. Download the TOI App.
Madurai: Madras high court on Tuesday ordered statutory notice to the joint commissioner of Hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR and CE) department, Dindigul, on a contempt petition challenging the official’s order to bring Uthapuram temple in Madurai district under the complete control of the department.