Interim stay on notices asking owners to vacate shops inside temple premises

The Madras High Court today directed the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) department of Tamil Nadu to come up with alternative sites for the shopkeepers, who have been asked to vacate their shops inside and near the temple premises.
Granting an interim stay on the notices issued by various temple managements to the shop owners, Justice Bharathidasan directed the HR & CE officials not to clear the shops till March 16.
The judge passed the interim order on a batch of pleas filed by those who owned shops inside various shrine premises, including the Meenakshi temple, seeking a stay on the notices.

The judge then posted the matter to March 16 to enable the HR & CE department to file the counter.
The judge asked officials as to what were the alternative arrangements (sites) for the shop-owners.
The shopkeepers were asked to vacate the premises of various shrines for security reasons and also, following a recent fire in the Meenakshi temple here that damaged a hall.