Two judges of a special Division Bench who take up temple related cases of Madras High Court inspected Arunachaleswarar temple and its surrounding areas in Tiruvannamalai town on Sunday, regarding certain constructions being put up inside the temple premises.

Accompanied by Collector K. Tharpagaraj and HR&CE officials, Justices R. Suresh Kumar and S. Sounthar inspected various spots including mandapams, pilgrims waiting arena and upcoming free food distribution centre for devotees in the temple and its surrounding areas. “The visiting team was explained about various civic amenities undertaken or proposed for devotees to the temple,” said a HR&CE official.

HR&CE officials said that the inspection relates to a 2024 writ petition filed by temple activist T.R. Ramesh, who challenged a Government Order issued in 2023 for using temple funds to construct a shopping complex or a row of shops outside the Rajagopuram (prime temple tower) of the Arunachaleswarar Temple. The special Division Bench led by the two judges is hearing a petition filed by the temple activist.

Two months ago in August, Special Government Pleader (HR&CE) N.R.R. Arun Natarajan had told the Division Bench the department was having second thoughts over moving ahead with the proposal to construct the shopping complex/row or shops and that instead it was planning to create other facilities for the devotees.

Last month, the court was informed the department had planned to construct a queue complex for the benefit of the devotees who throng the Shiva temple. However, the temple activist complained to the Division Bench that the HR&CE department had already begun construction inside the temple complex, even before the court gave permission, and produced photographs to substantiate his charge.

It was in this context, the judges decided to conduct a personal inspection to ascertain the ground situation both inside and outside the temple premises before the next hearing of the case on October 16.