HR&CE-Backed Temple Festivals Cannot Propagate Caste; Donor Names To Be Printed Without Caste References: Madras High Court
The petition had sought a direction to prohibit the use of caste names in invitations for the temple’s 2026 Masi Brahmotsavam.
Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy, Madras High Court
The Madras High Court has ruled that caste references cannot be printed in temple festival invitations issued by temples administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department.
The petition had sought a direction to prohibit the use of caste names in invitations for the temple’s 2026 Masi Brahmotsavam and to regulate who can carry the idol during processions.
A Bench of Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy held, "Caste is a thing that exists only in the minds of the people. Article 14 of the Constitution of India, enshrines the principle of equality. The very purpose of India becoming a Republic is to treat everyone equally and the concept of caste is based only on birth and birth alone divides people."
Advocate S.Abhijeet Krishna appeared for the Petitioner and Advocate J.Ravindran appeared for the Respondents.
The Court held that since the HR&CE Department is a government body involved in the conduct of temple festivals, invitations cannot contain caste references. It clarified, "If the festival in which the Government Department namely, the HR and CE Department, is also involved, is conducted in a manner so as to propagate caste and prominently to advertise or take pride in one’s caste, the same cannot be permitted. Therefore, the prayer made by the learned Additional Advocate General that it should be left to open to the Ubhayatharar or to the temple, cannot be considered. From the next festival onwards, whenever any pamphlet is printed, the temple concerned is directed to print the name of the Ubayadharar alone without mentioning the caste name."
During the hearing, the State informed the Court that invitations for the 2026 festival had already been printed and circulated and that the festival was scheduled to commence on February 20. In light of this, the Court declined to interfere with the event for the current year.
The Court also refused the State’s request to leave the issue to the discretion of donors or temple authorities.
On the petitioner’s request to frame a standard operating procedure for selecting “Sri Padhamthangis” volunteers who carry the idol during processions the Court declined to intervene. It observed, "As far as the issue of Sri Padhamthangis are concerned, whenever there is an Utchavar purapadu in any temple, volunteers will be there normally to act as Padhamthangis to carry the idols and the same is managed on the spot by able- bodied devotees. To frame Rules or to micromanage the same through Courts would only open in a Pandora’s box and it should be best left to the persons who are managing the festival on the ground."
Cause Title: N Samaran v. The Commissioner & Ors.
Appearance:
Petitioner: Advocate S.Abhijeet Krishna
Respondents: Advocates J.Ravindran, K.Karthikeyan, A.M.Ayyadurai, J.Subbia