CHENNAI, INDIA, November 16, 2002: The Madras high court on November 13 stayed implementation of a notification by the Central Government of India, proposing to declare the just renovated Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai, one of the country’s largest, as a national heritage. Issuing the direction on a petition filed by Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Commissioner M. A. Gowrishankar challenging the October 21 notification by the Archaeological Survey of India, Justice R. Balasubramaniam issued notice to the Union Secretary (Department of Culture and ASI). On November 11, the State government had filed a petition against the notification, declaring the temple as a national monument. In the writ petition, the commissioner had pointed out that an appeal against a scheme drawn up by the high court for management of the temple was pending in the Supreme Court. He said the government had declared Tiruvannamalai as a heritage town in 1993 and introduced guidelines, which led to a controversy over the maintenance of a “girivalam” (park) around the temple and filing of several writ petitions against the GO. He contended that one of the petitioners had sought declaration of the temple as a monument and that the Centre, in its counter-affidavit, had taken the position that it could not be so. The notification was contrary to its earlier stand and a “colorable” exercise of power. It also did not contain any material to enable persons concerned to file objections. It would take away the powers of trustees and other authorities, affecting day-to-day affairs. Seeking to quash the notification, the petitioner had also sought a stay of its operation till disposal of his petition or maintenance of status quo.
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