Caste Has No Role To Play In Appointment Of Temple Priests: Madras HC

The court gave the order while hearing a plea by Muthu Subramania Gurukkal against an advertisement issued by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department

The court said that as a result the rule of next-in-line of succession cannot be insisted

Caste will have no role to play in the appointment of priests in temples, ruled Madras High Court on Monday. The HC also allowed trustees to appoint any person well-versed and qualified to perform the 'pooja' as per the requirement of temple rituals. 

The court gave the order while hearing a plea by Muthu Subramania Gurukkal against an advertisement issued by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department. The advertisement called for applications for the positions of Archakas/Sthanikam of Sri Sugavaneswarar Swamy Temple in Salem. The petitioner said that the impugned advertisement was hereditary right of his and others. 

Before pronouncing the order, Justice N Anand Venkatesh referred extensively from various Supreme Court judgments including the Seshammal and others vs State of Tamil Nade case, as per a report on PTI.

The court said, "It is clear from the said judgment of the Apex Court in Seshammal's case that the appointment of an Archaka is a secular act and hence, the hereditary right cannot be claimed. The Apex Court held that an Archaka owes his appointment to the shebaits and managers of a temple and they are the one who chooses the Archaka."

The court said that as a result the rule of next-in-line of succession cannot be insisted. A trustee is also not bound to make appointment on the sole ground that the candidate is next-in-line of succession.  

Earlier, the SC had said that there was no justification to insist that only Brahmin can perform the rites and rituals. It can be performed by anyone who is well-versed, properly trained and qualified to perform the 'pooja' in a manner conducive and appropriate to the worship of the particular deity.

"Hence, the Apex Court frowned on insisting on a pedigree based on caste to perform the rites and rituals in a temple," the judge said, as per the report.