Rengasamy Velar.S v. The Principal Secretary
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 27.03.2024
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE B.PUGALENDHI and W.M.P(MD) Nos.2216, 2218 and 2219 of 2022 1.S.Rengasamy 2.Pounraj Velar 3.Thiruneelkandavelar 4.Kulanthai Velar 5.Veeramuthu Velar ... Petitioners Vs.
1.The Principal Secretary, Secretariat, Chennai.
2.The Commissioner, Uthamar Gandhi Salai, Nunkampakkam, Chennai-600 034.
3.The Joint Commissioner, Thanjavur.
... Respondents
Prayer :- Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of Writ of Certiorari, to call for the records relating to the impugned notification of the third respondent dated 10.12.2021 published in the Thinathanthi Tamil Daily on 11.12.2021 and quash the same insofar as Sl.No.8 inviting applications for appointment of nonhereditary trustees to A/m.Veeramahali Amman Thirukovil, Perambur, Kulathur Taluk, Pudukkottai District is concerned. For Petitioner : Mr.V.S.Kumaraguru For Respondents : Mr.P.Subbaraj Special Government Pleader
ORDER
Challenging the notification issued by the third respondent on 10.12.2021 published in Thinathanthi Tamil Daily on 11.12.2021 inviting applications for appointment of non-hereditary trustees to Arulmigu Veeramahali Amman Thirukovil, Perambur, Kulathur Taluk, Pudukkottai District, the present writ petition is filed by the petitioners.
2. According to the petitioners, this temple belongs to their community and has been administered by their family. The petitioners
have also filed an application before the Joint Commissioner, HR&CE, in O.A.No.8/2021 to declare them as the hereditary trustees of the temple. Pending this application before the Joint Commissioner, the respondents have invited the applications for appointment of non-hereditary trustees to the temple. Therefore, they have filed this writ petition.
3. The learned Special Government Pleader appearing for the respondents submits that the temple is in the direct management of the HR&CE Department and the fit person in the cadre of Assistant Commissioner has been appointed for the administration of the temple and apart from that, an Executive Officer was also appointed. According to him, as on date, non-hereditary trustees have not been appointed for this temple.
4. This Court considered the rival submissions made on either side.
5. The grievance of the petitioners is that pending the application of the petitioners in O.A.No.8/2021, the respondents have called for
application for appointment of non-hereditary trustees. The application filed by the petitioners for appointing them as hereditary trustees before the Joint Commissioner is also pending from the year 2021. Therefore, this Writ Petition is disposed of with a direction to the third respondent/Joint Commissioner to conclude the proceedings in O.A.No.8 of 2021 within a period of four months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed.
27.03.2024 NCC : Yes/No Index : Yes/No Internet : Yes/No cp To 1.The Principal Secretary, Secretariat, Chennai.
2.The Commissioner, Uthamar Gandhi Salai, Nunkampakkam,
Chennai-600 034.
3.The Joint Commissioner, Thanjavur.
B.PUGALENDHI,J cp W.P.(MD)No.2518 of 2022 Dated: 27.03.2024