Chidambaram temple row: PIL filed in Madras HC against govt order

Chennai, June 30 A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Madras High Court on Friday challenging the government order permitting devotees to climb up the Kanagasabhai Mandapam to have darshan of the deity in the Nataraja temple at Tamil Nadu's Chidambaram.

Temple Worshippers Society President T.R. Ramesh has filed a PIL against the order issued by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) Department on May 17, 2022.

The petitioner had claimed that the HRCE Act does not allow the government to interfere with denominational temples.

Two separate judgments of the Madras High Court had recognised the temple as belonging to a religious denomination.

A writ petition was filed in 2022 in the Madras High Court seeking permission for the devotees to climb the Kanagasabhai Mandapam and it had directed the HRCE Department, the Cuddalore District Collector, and the Secretary of the Dikshitar Committee to make a decision.