The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea by the priests of a temple dedicated to Sri Veerabhadra Swamy (an avatar of Lord Shiva), known as the Machileshwarnath temple in Telangana, raising concerns that the State government is attempting to unlawfully take over the temple [Madapathi Nagendrappa vs State of Telangana].The priests have objected to the State government taking over the temple by appointing executive officers using the Telangana Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act 1987.By way of interim relief, a bench of Justices MM Sundresh and SVN Bhatti has stayed orders passed by the commissioner of endowments, by which the commissioner had appointed an executive officer for the temple and directed its takeover.The plea before the top court by the priests challenges the constitutional validity of the Telangana Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act 1987. The Court has issued notice in the case.The petitioners highlighted that under the 1987 Act, the State has been given an unfettered right to take over the administration of any temple by appointing a board of trustees of its choice, which would be run by an executive officer under the directions of the State of Telangana.Registering objection to such a state of affairs, the plea submitted:"Management and administration of temple are essential part of right to religion and freedom to profess religion under Article 25 and 26 of the Constitution."The petitioners also reiterated that it is "not the job of officers of a secular government to run temples," while citing a Supreme Court ruling in this regard.It has also been stated that the apex court has clearly laid down the law that States can only take over temple management to cure financial maladministration and then return the same to the persons who were in charge.The petitioners were represented by Senior Advocate Vibha Datta Makhija, assisted by advocate Vishesh Kanodia, and advocate-on-record Rashi Bansal.
TAGS: Supreme Court plea priests Machileshwarnath temple Sri Veerabhadra Swamy Madapathi Nagendrappa
