Even a deity has to follow rule of law: HC

Seeks details of encroachments by religious bodies; gives State time

The Municipal Administration Secretary on Tuesday informed the Madras High Court that he had written a letter to all local bodies on January 8 instructing them to furnish details of temples, mosques and churches built on government properties such as public roads, pavements and water bodies.

Justice S.M. Subramaniam was told that it would take at least four weeks for the government to compile the details as there were 125 municipalities, 12 corporations and 528 town panchayats in the State. Only they would be able to provide exact details.

Accepting the submission, the judge granted a month’s time for the government to collate the details and produce them before him.

The judge had called for the details early this month while hearing a writ petition which sough to remove a temple for Lord Ganesha reportedly built on the campus of Coimbatore Revenue Divisional Office.

Observing that even God cannot be allowed to encroach upon public lands “with the help of a few land mafias and land grabbers”, the suo motu included the secretaries of Home, Municipal Administration, Highways as well as Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments departments as respondents to the case and called for comprehensive details.

On legal principle

“If a deity in a temple commits an act of encroachment, that is to be dealt with in accordance with law and just because it is a deity, the rule of law cannot be diluted. This being the legal principle, this court is of an opinion that India being a democratic, social and secular country, all are bound to follow the rule of law and respect the law for an orderly society,” the judge had said.