The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Tamil Nadu government to form a heritage commission to oversee and regulate construction and renovation work at the State’s ancient temples, while restraining all ongoing construction activities at these sites until the panel is established. The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for March 5.
A Division Bench of Justices R. Suresh Kumar and S. Sounthar expressed concern over delays in constituting the Tamil Nadu Heritage Commission, which was mandated to protect historic structures and cultural monuments. The bench noted that the State’s failure to operationalise the commission — despite framing related rules and setting up a selection committee — has left ancient temples vulnerable to unregulated work that could damage their heritage value.
During the hearing, officials from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department told the court that rules for the heritage commission had been drafted and applications had been invited for the commission chairperson. However, the judges questioned why the advertisement for the post was not published in leading newspapers, making it unlikely that a broad pool of eligible candidates would see and apply. The bench ordered that ads be run in four Tamil dailies and two English newspapers within a week, and directed that applications be screened with three names to be shortlisted and submitted to the court in a sealed cover.
The court’s directive reflects wider judicial concern over the preservation of Tamil Nadu’s cultural heritage, amid legal battles over temple construction projects and the proper use of temple properties and funds.