St. Joseph School Ignores Court Orders, Occupies Devanathaswamy Temple Land for 5 Years
In a growing controversy surrounding religious property rights and legal defiance, St. Joseph Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, has found itself at the center of a legal storm. The school has allegedly encroached on land legally owned by the historic Devanathaswamy Temple and continued its operations on the premises for over five years—despite clear directives from the Madras High Court to vacate.
This ongoing dispute underscores a larger issue that resonates across India: the repeated neglect of temple property rights and the failure of state institutions to uphold court verdicts—especially when the encroachers are politically or institutionally powerful.
Madras High Court Issues Contempt Notice as School Continues to Defy Orders
The dispute first came to legal light when S. Vinoth Raghavendran, the state secretary of the BJP’s Spiritual & Temple Development Wing, filed a petition highlighting that the temple trust land had been occupied unlawfully. In April 2024, the High Court ruled that the state must provide alternate land to the school and ensure the temple premises were cleared of encroachment within six months.
However, despite the legal clarity, the situation remained unchanged. Not only did the school continue its operations on the disputed land, but it also ignored the extended deadlines set by the judiciary. As a result, the court issued contempt notices to five senior IAS officers, including the secretaries of key departments and the district collector of Cuddalore, as well as two Joint Commissioners of the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department.
This move signifies a rare but bold step from the judiciary, holding top bureaucrats accountable for their inaction and disregard for the court’s authority. The High Court has ordered all respondents to appear in person on July 10, a deadline that could set a major precedent for the enforcement of legal rights over temple lands in Tamil Nadu and beyond.
The temple land encroachment issue is not just a legal matter; it highlights the systemic negligence towards temple trusts and the repeated undermining of court rulings by public institutions. While the HR&CE department is meant to protect temple assets, its alleged complicity—or at the very least, passive inaction—raises serious questions about accountability.
As the July 10 hearing approaches, all eyes will be on the Madras High Court. Will this finally bring justice to the temple trust? Or will the case join a long list of ignored rulings that fail to protect sacred lands?
