Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has cancelled administrative approvals for 46 construction projects that were to be carried out using temple funds, following a High Court order. The projects—marriage halls and commercial complexes across multiple temples—were estimated at about Rs 246 crore.
According to the report, during the earlier DMK regime, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department had announced plans to build marriage halls and commercial complexes, and had used temple funds for such initiatives. A fresh announcement had also been made in the Assembly to build facilities at 27 temples, including in Dindigul, Theni and Palani.
The move came after a case filed by Hindu Tamilar Katchi leader Ram Ravikumar in the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, arguing that using temple funds for commercial construction was illegal. The court, not accepting the government’s explanation that funds had not been released, ordered in August 2025 that the government orders enabling such works using temple funds be cancelled.
With the current government in office, it reiterated in the Governor’s address that temple funds would be used only for sacred purposes. The state has now issued new government orders cancelling the earlier approvals.
In its statement, the government said the works had not commenced due to the court’s restraint and the financial burden on temples. The cancelled approvals include 29 marriage halls worth Rs 115.77 crore and 17 commercial complexes worth Rs 130.08 crore, totalling Rs 245.85 crore. The government said new schemes benefiting temples and devotees would be announced using these funds, and listed districts including Thanjavur, Tenkasi, Tiruchirappalli, Dindigul, Theni, Tiruvallur, Villupuram, Pudukkottai, Mayiladuthurai, Kanchipuram, Coimbatore, Chennai, Chengalpattu and Sivaganga where the cancellations apply.
