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V.Ravindiran v. the Commissioner

Madras HC22 Oct 2025WP/21221/2023

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Non-hereditary trustees; Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR&CE); Arulmigu Mariamman Temple, Perumbalai Village, Pennagaram Taluk, Dharmapuri District; certiorarified mandamus; Article 226; impugned order dated 27.04.2023 in Se.Mu.Na.Ka.No.3807/2023/A3; trusteeship period expired during pendency; liberty to file fresh application; public notification for trustee appointments; writ petition disposed of, no costs; connected W.M.P No.20633 of 2023 closed; Madras High Court; Justice M. Dhandapani; order dated 22.10.2025.

What did the court decide?

Direction to the 3rd respondent to invite applications through public notification for appointment of non-hereditary trustees, with liberty to the petitioner to submit a fresh application to participate therein; writ petition disposed of with no costs and connected miscellaneous petition closed.

V.Ravindiran Vs the Commissioner — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the impugned order dated 27.04.2023 of the 3rd respondent made in Se.Mu.Na.Ka.No.3807/2023/A3 pertaining to the temple called Arulmigu Mariamman Temple, Perumbalai Village, Pennagaram Taluk, Dharmapuri District, was liable to be quashed. +1 more

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Ratio / Principle

The 3rd respondent is directed to invite applications through a public notification for appointment of non-hereditary trustees; if such publication is issued, the petitioner is at liberty to submit a fresh application to participate in the appointment of non-hereditary trustees.

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Key takeaways

With the above direction, the writ petition is disposed of; no costs; the connected miscellaneous petition is closed. The Court did not adjudicate the merits of the challenge to the impugned order, the period of non-hereditary trustees having expired during pendency.ratio¶29

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Madras High Court (M. Dhandapani, J.) disposed of W.P No.21221 of 2023 (V. Ravindran v. The Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department and others) by order dated 22.10.2025. The petitioner had challenged, under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the order dated 27.04.2023 of the 3rd respondent (Assistant Commissioner, HR&CE Department, Dharmapuri) made in Se.Mu.Na.Ka.No.3807/2023/A3, seeking its quashing and a direction for fresh applications for the post of non-hereditary trustees of Arulmigu Mariamman Temple, Perumbalai Village, Pennagaram Taluk, Dharmapuri District. During pendency, the period of non-hereditary trustees expired, leaving nothing surviving for adjudication. The Court directed the 3rd respondent to invite applications through a public notification for appointment of non-hereditary trustees and granted the petitioner liberty to submit a fresh application to participate in such appointment. Writ petition disposed of with no costs; connected W.M.P No.20633 of 2023 closed. Merits of the challenge were not decided.

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W.P No.21221 of 2023

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

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DATED: 22.10.2025

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CORAM:

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THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI

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W.P No.21221 of 2023 and

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W.M.P No.20633 of 2023

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V.Ravindran ..... Petitioner

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1.The Commissioner Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department No.119, Uthamar Gandhi Salai Nungambakkam, Chennai-600 034.

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2.The Joint Commissioner Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department Kottaimari Amman Temple Campus Near Old Bus Stand Salem-636 001.

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3.The Assistant Commissioner Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department Sengunthar Thirumana Mandapam Kumarasamypettai Pennagaram Road Dharmapuri-636 701.

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4.The Inspector Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department Pennagaram, Dharmapuri-636 701.

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Page 1 of 4

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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W.P No.21221 of 2023

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5.D.Sivakumar ..... Respondents PRAYER: This writ petition is filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the entire records in connection with the impugned order dated 27.04.2023 of the 3rd respondent made in Se.Mu.Na.Ka.No.3807/2023/A3 and quash the same and consequently direct the 3rd respondent to call for fresh application for the post of nonhereditary trustees and permit the petitioner to participate in the same pertaining to the temple called Arulmigu Mariamman Temple situated in Perumbalai Village, Pennagaram Taluk, Dharmapuri District.

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For Petitioner : Mr.E.Ganesh For R1 to R4 : Mr.N.R.R.Arun Natarajan Special Government Pleader

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O R D E R

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This writ petition has been filed, challenging the impugned order dated 27.04.2023 passed by the 3rd respondent and consequently direct the 3rd respondent to call for fresh application for the post of non-hereditary trustees and permit the petitioner to participate in the same pertaining to the temple called Arulmigu Mariamman Temple situated in Perumbalai Village, Pennagaram Taluk, Dharmapuri District.

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2. The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that during the

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Page 2 of 4

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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W.P No.21221 of 2023

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pendency of the writ petition, the period of non-hereditary trustees has expired.

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Therefore, nothing survives for further adjudication in this matter and this Court

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may grant liberty to the petitioner to make a fresh application for the appointment of non-hereditary trustees.

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3. In view of the above, the 3rd respondent is directed to invite the applications through a public notification for appointment of non-hereditary trustees. If such a publication is issued, the petitioner is at liberty to submit a fresh application to participate in the appointment of non-hereditary trustees.

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4. With the above direction, this writ petition is disposed of. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed.

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22.10.2025 Index : Yes/No Neutral citation : Yes/No Speaking/non-speaking order uma

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M.DHANDAPANI, J.

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Page 3 of 4

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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W.P No.21221 of 2023

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To 1.The Commissioner Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department No.119, Uthamar Gandhi Salai Nungambakkam, Chennai-600 034.

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uma

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2.The Joint Commissioner Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department Kottaimari Amman Temple Campus Near Old Bus Stand Salem-636 001.

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3.The Assistant Commissioner Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department Sengunthar Thirumana Mandapam Kumarasamypettai Pennagaram Road Dharmapuri-636 701.

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