INDIA, September 9, 2025 (Hindu Post): The Supreme Court on 29th August, 2025, declined to entertain a plea against the Madras High Court’s judgment allowing the Tamil Nadu government to utilize Sri Somanathaswamy Temple’s land on lease and Sri Arulmigu Kapaliswarar Temple’s US$3 million funds for constructing a college building in Chennai. The Supreme Court bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta rejected a plea filed by T. R. Ramesh against the high court’s division bench judgment of February 20, 2025. The division bench had earlier upheld the single judge’s order which stated the proposed long-term lease of the temple land was meant for running a college and, thus, the object being a benevolent one, the petitioner can submit his written objections or suggestions against such proposed lease before the Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department.

Tamil Nadu Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments P. K. Sekarbabu on 14th May, 2025 said that a total of 7,560 acres of land belonging to temples worth $890 million had been retrieved in the last four years. He also said that steps have been taken to change the names on title deeds of 648 temples corresponding to a total of 5,400 acres of land. The deeds are in the names of the respective Deities. The digital revenue database has been corrected for 4,491.47 acres and a rent of $118.2 million has been collected. The Minister also said that the department will complete measuring and marking 200,000 acres of lands and planting stones in Mevalurkuppam in Kancheepuram district. It is estimated that in Andhra Pradesh 87,000 Acres of temple lands are encroached according to The Endowments Department Report released in October,2024.

https://hindupost.in/dharma-religion/encroachment-of-mandir-properties-in-bharat/

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