The Supreme Court has recalled its earlier order, thereby reviving a group of petitions that challenge state laws governing Hindu temples and religious endowments in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Puducherry.

The Bench will hear the matter on July 27, 2026.

The Central Government reversed its previous position and agreed that the Supreme Court is the proper forum to decide the constitutional validity of laws governing Hindu temples and religious endowments across southern states and union territories.

The Bench of Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma noted in its Order, "Learned Solicitor General and learned senior counsel appearing for the Union Territory of Puducherry also concurred with this submission inasmuch as they said that instead of the parties prosecuting these writ petitions before the respective High Courts, the writ petitions could be considered and adjudicated upon before this Court itself as there is commonality in the grounds raised in these matters as well as the provisions which have been assailed."

Previously, the Centre had aligned with state governments to argue that the challenges should be heard by respective state High Courts first, which led to the apex court dismissing the 2012 petitions in April 2025.

"To what extent regulation is required and how it is applied to a particular Temple in a particular situation will have to be first examined by the respective High Courts", the ASG had submitted on behalf of the Central Government on the last occasion. 

The case was revived after the Supreme Court heard the review petition in the open court and decided to recall its earlier April 2025 order. In that previous decision, the court had dismissed the petitions and told the challengers to take their grievances to the respective state High Courts instead. However, following a series of review petitions challenging that stance, the bench decided to recall its earlier order and look at the matter itself.

The Court ordered, "Consequently, order dated 01.04.2025 is recalled. The Review Petition is allowed and disposed of in the aforesaid terms. The Writ Petition is restored on the file of this Court to its original number. In view of the order passed in R.P.(C) No. 230/2026 filed in Writ Petition (C) No. 476/2012, connected Writ Petition (C) Nos.1432/2019, 1147/2021 and 148/2024 which were also disposed of by common order dated 01.04.2025 are recalled and these cases are also restored to their original numbers before this Court. Issue notice to the respondents in the writ petitions. List these writ petitions before the same Bench on 24.07.2026 at 2.P.M."


Senior Advocates C. S. Vaidyanathan, Guru Krishna Kumar and Nachiketa Joshi appeared for the review petitioners, while SG Tushar Mehta, ASG Aishwarya Bhati and Senior Advocate J Sai Deepak appeared for the Respondents.

Vide order passed in April, the Court disposed of various writ petitions by reserving liberty to writ petitioners/review petitioners herein to approach the High Court for redressal of their grievances with regard to the challenge made to various provisions of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959, Puducherry Act of 1972 and Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act, 1987.

During the hearing, the review petitioners submitted that the long pendency of writ petition(s) before this Court since the year 2012 till 2025 when they were disposed of would be a reason for recalling the impugned order dated 01.04.2025 since this Court could have itself adjudicated the writ petition(s) on merits and disposed of the same.

Solicitor General and Senior Counsel appearing for the Union Territory of Puducherry also concurred with this submission inasmuch as they said that instead of the parties prosecuting these writ petitions before the respective High Courts, the writ petitions could be considered and adjudicated upon before this Court itself, as there is commonality in the grounds raised in these matters as well as the provisions which have been assailed.

Previously, the Court had relegated the Petitioners who had approached the Court challenging the constitutionality of various provisions of the Hindu Religious Endowments laws of the States of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and the Union Territory of Pondicherry as long back as in the year 2012 to the respective High Courts. The Central Government joined the State Governments in submitting that the matters should be heard by the respective High Courts first and not by the Supreme Court.

The Court had directed that the High Courts should consider various dimensions of the provisions in light of the socio-economic, cultural and religious aspects of the matter and that it may constitute an expert committee for assistance, if needed.

These core petitions, which were filed in 2012, aimed at several specific state laws: the Tamil Nadu Act of 1959, the Pondicherry Act of 1972, and the 1987 Endowments Acts of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The main issue was the sweeping powers these laws grant to the government. The petitioners challenged the rules that allow the state to appoint temple trustees and executive officers, control the commissioners, audit internal temple accounts, decide how surplus funds are used, sell or transfer temple property, and maintain overall state supervision. It was submitted that this level of government control violates several fundamental rights under the Indian Constitution. 

Accordingly, the matter will now be heard in July 2026.

Cause Title: Shri Dayanand Saraswati Swamiji & Ors. v. The State of Tamil Nadu & Ors. [RP (C) No. 230 OF 2026 in WP (C) No. 476 of 2012]

Appearances:

Petitioners: Senior Advocate C. S. Vaidyanathan, Senior Advocate Guru Krishna Kumar, Senior Advocate Nachiketa Joshi, Senior Advocate J. Sai Deepak, Advocate on Record Suvidutt M., Advocate Akshay Nagarajan, Advocate Ashwin, Advocate Ronak Shankar Agarwal, Advocate Vinayak Goel, Advocate Deepika Singh, Advocate Disha Puri, Advocate Sai Shashank, Advocate Ruchil Raj, Advocate Prerna Singh.

Respondents: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, Advocate on Record Aravindh S., Advocate on Record S. N. Terdal, Advocate Akshay Gupta, Advocate Anika Bansal, Advocate Aadithya Aravindh, Advocate Rajesh Kumar Singh, Advocate Raghvendra Shukla, Advocate Swati Ghildiyal, Advocate Padmesh Mishra, Advocate Rajat Nair, Advocate Navanjay Mahapatra, Advocate Amit Sharma B., Advocate Akanksha Kaul, Advocate Akanksha Singh.

Click here to read/download the Order

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