Madras High Court.
Madras High Court Issues Contempt Notices to IAS Officers Over Temple Land Encroachment: Chennai, India – The Madras High Court has taken a stern view on the alleged encroachment of temple land, issuing contempt notices to five Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers and other officials for non-compliance with a previous court order. The bench, comprising Chief Justice K.R. Shriram and Justice Sunder Mohan, initiated the action following a contempt plea that highlighted the State’s failure to provide alternative land for a school reportedly operating on temple property.
Among those who received notices are Ms. P. Amudha IAS (Secretary to Government – Department of Revenue and Disaster Management), Ms. S. Madhumathi IAS (Secretary to Government – Department of School Education), Dr. B. Chandramohan IAS (Secretary to Government – Department of Tourism, Culture and HR & CE Department), Mr. P.N. Sridhar IAS (Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Administration Department), and Ms. Sibi Adithiya Senthilkumar IAS (District Collector, Cuddalore). Additionally, two joint commissioners of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR & CE) Department have also been served notices.
The contempt plea was filed by S. Vinoth Ragavendran, who alleged that St. Joseph’s Matriculation Higher Secondary School was functioning on land belonging to a temple and that the encroachment had not been removed.
During an earlier writ petition concerning the matter, the Special Government Pleader had informed the court that a previous order, passed in a writ petition filed by the school itself, had directed the State to provide alternative land. This directive stipulated that if no suitable land was available, any other land near a town or village with easy access to a main road should be allotted. The State Government Pleader had also indicated that a proposal for such an allotment was pending with the government.
The High Court, noting that the order for alternate land had been issued five years prior and the proposal remained pending, had then directed the State to implement the order and identify suitable alternative land within a six-month period.
However, with no action taken even on this subsequent order, Ragavendran has now approached the court through a contempt petition, seeking accountability and action against the concerned officers for their alleged inaction.
The case, titled S. Vinoth Raghavendran v. Ms. P. Amudha and Others, is registered as Cont P 519 of 2025. The issuance of these notices signals the High Court’s resolve to ensure compliance with its directives, particularly in matters concerning public property and the efficient functioning of government departments.
