The Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered that status quo be maintained till December 18 with regard to the land of a temple on the East Coast Road at Neelankarai near here.
The First Bench comprising the Chief Justice R.K. Agrawal and Justice K. Ravichandrabaabu passed the interim order on a writ petition by one S. Guhan of Shenoy Nagar here. He sought a direction to restrain the authorities from interfering with the rights of worship on the land of the Sri Sakthi Muthamman temple by constructing a fish market and an eatery there.
The petitioner said he was devotee of the deity. The temple, which was 200 years old, had 2.03 acres that had been earmarked for its purposes. The Fisheries Department had now come up with a proposal to take possession of the land and construct a fish market and an eatery there. Hence, the present plea.