The Madras High Court today ordered notice to the State government on a petition seeking to quash a notification issued by the HR&CE department framing guidelines for renovation of non-heritage and non-ancient temples.
Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Nisha Banu ordered notice to the Commissioner of HR&CE department, which administers temples in the state, returnable within two weeks.
The petitioner Periyanambi Narasimha Gopalan submitted that while the first para of the February, 2017 notification made it clear that it was applicable only to ancient and heritage temples, officials were applying it even to other temples.
The notification laid down various conditions including obtaining suggestions from an archaeological expert for renovation of heritage and ancient temples.
The petitioner contended that such guidelines should definitely be applied to ancient and heritage temples but not for others.
He referred to the Meenakshi temple in Pathamadai in southern Tamil Nadu, a concrete structure, which is awaiting consecration, and wanted to know why officials were seeking permission from the Heritage Screening Committee.