Disposed¶56

R.Nandhakumar v. The Commissioner

Madras HC4 Feb 2026WP/14159/2021

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

temple land encroachment removal; HR&CE Act Sections 78, 79 and 80; eviction of encroachers; Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department; direction to Commissioner and Joint Commissioner HR&CE; Kottasathanpalli Village Perigai Krishnagiri District; 200 acres temple land; enquiry against respondents 5-10; representation dated 08.06.2021; WP No. 14159 of 2021; writ petition disposed; Madras High Court; C. Kumarappan J.; S. M. Subramaniam J.

What did the court decide?

Direction issued to respondents 1 and 2 (Commissioner and Joint Commissioner, HR&CE Department) to ensure initiation of appropriate proceedings under the appropriate provisions of the Act for removal of encroachments on the temple property as expeditiously as possible; writ petition disposed of without costs and connected miscellaneous petition closed. ¶56

R.Nandhakumar Vs The Commissioner — Madras HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the respondents 1 to 4 should be directed to conduct an enquiry against the respondents 5 to 10 based on the petitioner's representation dated 08.06.2021. +1 more

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Ratio / Principle

Respondents 1 and 2 (Commissioner and Joint Commissioner, HR&CE Department) are directed to ensure that appropriate proceedings are initiated under the appropriate provisions of the Act for removal of encroachments in respect of the temple property as expeditiously as possible.

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Key takeaways

With the above direction, the Writ Petition stands disposed of without costs, and the connected miscellaneous petition (W.M.P.No.32024 of 2025) is closed.ratio¶56

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Madras High Court (Division Bench; order authored by C. Kumarappan, J.) disposed of WP No. 14159 of 2021 filed by R. Nandhakumar seeking an enquiry by respondents 1-4 against respondents 5-10 over encroachments on approximately 200 acres of temple land at Kottasathanpalli Village, Perigai, Krishnagiri District, based on the petitioner's representation dated 08.06.2021. Recording the Inspector of HR&CE Department's written instruction that eviction of encroachers was to be pursued by invoking Sections 78, 79 and 80 of the HR&CE Act, the court directed the Commissioner and Joint Commissioner, HR&CE (respondents 1 and 2) to ensure that appropriate proceedings are initiated under the appropriate provisions of the Act for removal of encroachments on the temple property as expeditiously as possible. Writ petition disposed of without costs; connected W.M.P.No.32024 of 2025 closed. No precedent engaged with.

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WP No. 14159 of 2021

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

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DATED: 04-02-2026

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CORAM

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THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S. M. SUBRAMANIAM

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AND

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THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE C.KUMARAPPAN

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WP No. 14159 of 2021 and

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W.M.P.No.32024 of 2025

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R.Nandhakumar

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S/o.Rajagopal, Pasthalapalli village, Kalingavaram Post, Shoolagiri Taluk, Krishnagiri District.

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..Petitioner(s)

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The Commissioner

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Hindu Religious and charitable Endowments Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, 119,Uthamar Gandhi Salai, Thousand Lights West, Nungambakkam, Chennai- 600 034.

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The Joint Commissioner Hindu Religious and charitable Endowments Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvannamalai District.

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The District Revenue Officer and Special Officer (Temple Lands)Krishnagiri District.

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4. The Tahsildar

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__________ Page1 of 6

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

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WP No. 14159 of 2021

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Taluk Office, Shoolagiri Taluk, Krishnagiri District.

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5. V.Chalapathi

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S/o.T.V.Vasanthiah Residing at

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Kudisathanapalli post, Shoolagiri Taluk, Perigai, Krishnagiri District.

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V.Chakarabani

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S/o.T.V.Vasanthiah Residing at Kudisathanapalli post, Shoolagiri Taluk, Perigai, Krishnagiri District.

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V.Thimmiah

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S/o.T.V.Vasanthiah Residing at

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Kudisathanapalli post, Shoolagiri Taluk, Perigai, Krishnagiri District.

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N.Hemanthkumar

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S/o.Narasimmiah Residing at Kudisathanapalli post, Shoolagiri Taluk, Perigai, Krishnagiri District.

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R.Narasimmamoorthy

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S/o.Ramachandraiya Residing at

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Kudisathanapalli post, Shoolagiri Taluk, Perigai, Krishnagiri District.

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10. T.V.Vasanthiah

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S/o.Thimmiah Residing at Kudisathanapalli post, Shoolagiri Taluk, Perigai, Krishnagiri

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__________ Page2 of 6

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

WP No. 14159 of 2021

District.

..Respondent(s)

To direct the respondents 1-4 to conduct an enquiry against the Respondents 5-10based on petitioners representation dated 08.06.2021 and restrain the Respondents 5-10 from interfering in the Temple Administration and remove the encroachments caused by them in the 200 acres of Temple Land at Kottasathanpalli Village, Perigai, Krishnagiri District.

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For Petitioner(s): Mr. Thanga Vadhana Balakrishnan

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For Respondent(s): Mr.S.Ravichandran,AGP, for HR& CE for R1 & R2 Mr.T.Arunkumar,AGP for R3 & R4 Mr.G.M.Ananthakumar for R5 to R8 and R10 R9-deceased – steps due.

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ORDER

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(Order of the Court was made by C.Kumarappan J.)

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The present writ petition has been instituted seeking for a direction to the respondents 1 to 4 to conduct an enquiry against the respondents 5 to 10.

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Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the subject property belongs to temple which is falling under the control of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department. The Inspector of HR&CE Department has stated in his written instruction that actions are to be initiated to evict encroachers by invoking Sections 78, 79 and 80 of the HR&CE Act.

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In view of the above fact, the respondents 1 and 2 are directed to

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Page3 of 6

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

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WP No. 14159 of 2021

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ensure that appropriate proceedings are initiated under the appropriate provisions of the Act for removal of encroachments in respect of the temple

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property as expeditiously as possible.

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With the above direction, the Writ Petition stands disposed of. No

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costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed.

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(S.M.S.,J.) (C.K.,J.) 04-02-2026

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Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order Neutral Citation: Yes/No

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VSI

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The Commissioner Hindu Religious and charitable Endowments Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, 119,Uthamar Gandhi Salai, Thousand Lights West, Nungambakkam, Chennai- 600 034.

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