Writ Petition No.32826 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED 28.08.2025 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE N. ANAND VENKATESH Writ Petition No.32826 of 2025 and W.M.P.No.36760 of 2025 T.Govindaraj S/o.Thangappan ...Petitioner Vs. 1.The Commissioner, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowment Department, Uthamar Gandhi Salai, Nungambakkam, Chennai - 600 034. 2.The Joint Commissioner, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowment Department, Nagapattinam. 3.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Mannargudi. 4.The Tahsildar, Mannargudi. 5.The Assistant Commissioner, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowment Department, Tiruvarur. 1/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Writ Petition No.32826 of 2025 6.Rajendran S/o.Masilamani ... Respondents [R2 & R5 modified as per order of this Court dated 28.08.2025] Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus directing the fifth respondent to permit the petitioner for the performance of annual poojas and offerings as well as permitting the petitioner to continue to perform the poojas as usual as the Poosari of the Agobadra Veeranar Temple also known as Pongovil, situated at Karuvakurichi Village, Mannargudi Taluk, Thiruvarur District, by considering the representation dated 14.07.2025 given by the petitioner, within the time frame to be stipulated by this Court. For Petitioner : Mr.W.M.Abdul Majeed For Respondents : Mr.K.Karthikeyan Government Advocate [HR & CE] [R1, R2 & R5] Mr.R.Murhti, Government Advocate [R3 & R4] ***** O R D E R The respondents 2 and 5 shall be replaced as Joint Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department, Nagapattinam and Assistant Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department, Tiruvarur, respectively. 2/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Writ Petition No.32826 of 2025 2. This writ petition has been filed seeking issuance of a writ of mandamus directing the fifth respondent to permit the petitioner to do poojas as a Poosari of Agobadra Veeranar temple based on the representation made by the petitioner on 14.07.2025. 3. The grievance of the petitioner is that the petitioner is the Poosari, who was doing pooja for a long period of time. However, the private respondents are preventing the petitioner from doing pooja and the regular rituals. Aggrieved by the same, a representation was made on 14.07.2025 and since the same did not evoke any response, the present writ petition has been filed. 4. When the matter was taken up for hearing, learned Government Advocate appearing on behalf of the department produced the communication issued by the Inspector, Mannargudi to the fifth respondent. On carefully going through the same, it is seen that various complaints were received including the complaint given by the petitioner. Considering the same, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department is in the process of taking over the 3/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Writ Petition No.32826 of 2025 temple since it is a public temple. The Inspector, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department, Mannargudi, has also given written instructions in this regard. 5. In the light of the above development, steps shall be taken by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department to take over the temple after following due process of law. Apart from that, it is left open to the petitioner to file an appropriate application before the Joint Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department and seek for the remedy. This writ petition is disposed of in the above terms. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed. 28.08.2025 Speaking/Non-speaking order Index : Yes / No Neutral Citation : Yes / No gm 4/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Writ Petition No.32826 of 2025 To 1.The Commissioner, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowment Department, Uthamar Gandhi Salai, Nungambakkam, Chennai - 600 034. 2.The Joint Commissioner, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowment Department, Nagapattinam. 3.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Mannargudi. 4.The Tahsildar, Mannargudi. 5.The Assistant Commissioner, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowment Department, Tiruvarur. 5/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Writ Petition No.32826 of 2025 N. ANAND VENKATESH, J. gm Writ Petition No.32826 of 2025 28.08.2025 6/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis