Administrator General Of Tamilnadu v. No Respondent

R.SUBBIAH, J This application is filed by the learned Administrator General & Official Trustee of Tamil Nadu. According to the learned Official Trustee the properties of late N.Palaniappa Chettiyar and Smt.Chinnammal @ Rangammal more fully covered in the Will dated 27.09.1968 are administered by him. The properties of late Palaniappa Chettiyar is situated in various taluk and villages in Gobichettipalayam. As per the Will of the testator the proceeds of his estate shall be utilised for three purposes mainly for (ii) religious charities (ii) educational charities and (iii) medical charities. In clause 2 of the Will specific reference was made to the effect that out of the income derived from his estate a good choultry can be constructed at Palani Temple for the purpose of accommodating the devotees free of cost and the maintenance of it shall be left to the HR & CE Commissioner and to provide Neyvedyam to the deity.

2. According to the learned Official Trustee the total income of the estate of the deceased in the year 2018-2019 was Rs.38,30,408/- and cash on hand as on 09.01.2020 is Rs.3,88,908/- Earlier, the learned Official Trustee has passed an order dated 30.05.2019 for payment of Rs.15,000/- 1/4

p.m. towards Neivedyam to Palani Andavar Temple at Palani and Neivedyam is being offered to the deity.

3. While so, the Joint Commissioner / Executive Officer, Arulmigu Dhandayudapani Temple, Palani sent a letter dated 07.01.2019 requesting to pay Rs.16,00,000/- for providing food (Annadhan) to devotees during Thaipoosam festival between 15.01.2019 to 24.01.2019 for ten days. Similar letter has also been sent by the Joint Commissioner of Palani Temple this year also, but it could not fulfilled by the learned Official Trustee for various reasons. As demanded by the Joint Commissioner HR&CE if Rs.16,00,000/- is offered for serving food during Thaipoosam the remaining corpus amount may not be sufficient for maintenance of the estate of the trustee. Therefore, the learned Official Trustee submitted that a sum of Rs.

2,00,000/- would be reasonable to be offered from the corpus of the trust for providing free food (Annadhan) to the devotees who throng the Palani temple during Thaipoosam. It is further stated that Thaipoosam festival for the present year falls on 08.02.2020 and therefore the learned Official Trustee submitted that urgent orders are required permitting him to donate a sum of Rs.

maintained by him.

4. Heard the learned Official Trustee and perused the records.

5. I had also gone through the letter sent by the Joint Commissioner HR&CE. Having regard to the quantum of corpus available in the hands of the learned Official Trustee and taking note of the quantum of amount required for maintenance of the estate of the testator, I feel that the learned Official Trustee is wholly justified in seeking permission to offer a sum of Rs.2,00,000/- to the Arulmigu Dhandayudapani Temple in connection with Thaipoosam festival which falls on 08.02.2020. It is needless to mention that conduct of religious activities to the Arulmigu Dhandayudapani Temple is also one of the intentions of the testator and therefore allowing the application filed by the learned Official Trustee is just and necessary.

6. In the result this application is allowed. 31.01.2020 dpq 3/4

R.SUBBIAH, J dpq 31.01.2020 4/4