HC dismisses petition for stay on temple demolition

Temple trustee had sought quashing of civic body order on the unauthorised structure at Court’s main entrance

The Madras High Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking to quash a Chennai Corporation order directing the removal of a temple at the High Court main entrance on NSC Bose Road.

By its order of November 28, 2010, the civic body had said if the Sri Needhi Karumariamman temple was not removed within a fortnight, it would demolish the shrine.

Kantha Srinivasan, trustee of the temple, challenged the Corporation order.

She said the temple was constructed 27 years ago in memory of former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran when he was admitted to Brooklyn Hospital.

A division bench comprising Justices S.K. Agnihotri and K.K. Sasidharan said the Chennai Corporation had issued notice to the petitioner. After conducting an enquiry, it concluded that the temple was unauthorised. The public should be able to use the road and the Corporation was right in directing the removal of the temple, the bench said.

The authorities should be given a free hand to demolish such unauthorised constructions that encroached on public property, the bench said, observing the Court could not be a silent spectator to unauthorised constructions.