Madras High Court: No Caste-Based Restrictions in Temple Appointments or Donations

The Madras High Court has dismissed a petition that sought to restrict appointments of temple trustees at the Arulmigu Karneeswarar Thirukoil in Chennai to individuals other than the Sengunthar community.

The court firmly held that all human beings are equal before God and that caste-based discrimination in temple administration cannot be allowed.

On the same day, in a separate case, the court condemned the denial of a devotee’s right to donate as an Ubayadharar (temple donor) at the Arulmigu Kamatchi Amman Udanurai Arulmigu Thirunageswarar Swamy temple in Kundrathur, stating that such exclusion based on caste amounts to untouchability, which is constitutionally impermissible.