SC declines Tamil Nadu’s plea to allow it to appoint archakas to Agamic temples; orders status quo
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to vacate its September 25 order by which it had asked the Tamil Nadu government to maintain existing conditions on the appointment of ‘archakas‘ or priests in temples governed by the ‘Agamic’ tradition in the state. A bench comprising Justices A S Bopanna and M M Sundresh prima facie did not agree to submissions of senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, that the State was entitled to appoint ‘archakas’.
T R Ramesh, who is fighting many cases for the liberation of temples said in X:
Hon’ble Supreme Court refuses to vacate the Stay Order it had earlier issued against TN Govt and @tnhrcedept which were appointing Archakas in Agamic temples in violation of temple traditions and orders of Court.
Case filed by Sivachariars admitted in Supreme Court.
A huge… pic.twitter.com/0F3mq0zEpj
— trramesh (@trramesh) November 8, 2023
“The appointment of ‘archakas’ is a secular function and the state is entitled to appoint them,” the senior advocate appearing for the state government argued. The argument is that the state government is not following the procedures prescribed under ‘agama’ traditions in appointing ‘archakas’ in temples of a particular denomination, the bench said. The ‘agamas’ are a collection of tantric literature from Hindu schools and there are three branches of such texts – ‘Shaiva, Vaishnava, and Shakta’.
The apex court was hearing petitions that alleged that the state government is interfering with the hereditary scheme of appointing ‘archakas’ in ‘Agama temples’ by allowing those from other denominations to become ‘archakas’ after doing a one-year certificate course for ‘archakas’ in schools run by the Tamil Nadu administration. The bench, on September 25, ordered the status quo (existing conditions) regarding the appointment of ‘archakas’ which as per the state government will halt the appointment of 2405 ‘archakas’ by it in temples across Tamil Nadu.
The top court has now fixed the pleas for further hearing on January 25, 2024, and said it will not stay the pending proceedings before the Madras High Court on a similar issue. “You (lawyer) just tell them (the high court) that the Supreme Court is seized of it,” the bench said. The state government, in its plea, has sought vacation of the apex court order.
“Earlier, the bench had issued notices to the state government and others on a plea filed by ‘Srirangam Koil Miras Kainkaryaparagal Matrum Athanai Sarntha Koilgalin Miraskain-Karyaparargalin Nalasangam’ – as an association of archakas. The plea sought quashing of the July 27 order of the state government and consequential orders alleging that the administration was attempting to interfere with the hereditary scheme of appointing ‘archakas’.
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Dushyant Dave – another anti-Hindu crook & immoral fellow.
Lawyers to uphold the truth & principles & fight for it, and not side with Raksasa, murderers, rapist….etc..