HR&CE official summoned by HC; may face contempt

HR&CE official summoned by HC; may face contempt

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:18.02.2021

The Madras high court summoned the joint commissioner of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department incharge of Srirangam temple for having failed to implement an order.

The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, observing that the officer may have to face contempt of court proceeding, directed the officer to appear before the court on February18 to explain why the court’s order was not complied with.

On January 6, the bench directed the officer to constitute a committee comprising religious leaders and department officers to conduct Urchavams in Sriranganathaswamy temple. The court also directed the department to file a status report in six weeks.

When the plea came up for hearing on Wednesday, the petitioner informed the court that the committee had not been constituted citing Covid-19. Recording the same, the bench passed the interim order.

The issue pertains to a plea moved by Rangarajan Narasimhan alleging that religious functions and rites at Trichy Srirangam Temple are not conducted as per shastras, but as per the whims and fancies of department officials.

Therefore, he wanted the court to direct the state government to constitute a committee comprising religious heads to decide the manner in which such functions are to be conducted. To this, the court observed when the government imposes certain restrictions to protect the life and health of public, the same must be adhered to. However, if such religious functions can be performed with minimal participation of the public, the same can be done while following the Covid-19 protocol, the court added.

The issue pertains to a plea alleging that religious functions at Trichy Srirangam Temple are not conducted as per shastras but as per the whims of department officials