SC directs petitioners to move HCs in TN, AP, and Puducherry temple control case
Says High Courts better suited to examine state-specific HRCE Act provisions
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed petitioners challenging government control over temples to first approach the respective High Courts, following requests from the BJP-led Centre and some states.
A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and S C Sharma ruled that since the petitions challenge various provisions of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HRCE) Acts across different states, High Courts would be better suited to address the matter. The court noted that the petitions cover laws from Tamil Nadu (1959), Puducherry (1932), and Andhra Pradesh (1987).
“We find that the better way of ventilating the grievances of the petitioners herein is to assail the provisions of the respective Acts before the respective jurisdictional High Courts,” the bench stated. The court disposed of the petitions while allowing the petitioners, including one who had approached the top court in 2012, to file fresh writ petitions before the High Courts.
The bench also emphasized that the High Courts should consider the socio-economic, cultural, and religious dimensions of the issue while deciding the cases. Additionally, it granted the High Courts the liberty to form expert committees if necessary.
This ruling marks a significant shift in the long-running legal battle over government control of temples, a contentious issue often debated by Hindu organizations and state authorities.
