R.S.KALYANASUNDARAM Vs. COMMISSIONER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The shore-town of Tiruchendur is one of the important pilgrim centres of India. Lord Subrahmanya, popularly known as Muruga, is its presiding deity. The temple is one of the six abodes of Lord Muruga. It has been celebrated in Sangam literature. Since it is a public temple, it has been brought under the purview of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department. The Executive Officer of the temple is in the rank of a Joint Commissioner.

(2.) A set of persons known as Thirisuthanthirars have been associated with the temple from time immemorial. Tirunelveli District Gazetteer of the year 1911 refers to them in the following terms :

(3.) One Thiru.R.S.Kalyanasundaram, the petitioner in WP(MD)No.11817 of 2018 claiming to be a devotee and a regular visitor to this temple alleged that the Thirisuthanthirars (though he does not specifically name them) are illegally interfering with the rights of the worshipers. He sent a complaint dtd. 29/5/2018 through registered post to the Commissioner, HR&CE, Chennai and the Executive Officer of the temple calling for streamlining the administration. On the very next day, he filed a writ petition for directing the respondents to introduce biometric device to mark and record the entry of the staff appointed by the department and to reform the temple administration.