Caste will have no role to play in appointment of temple priests, rules Madras High Court

In a significant verdict, the Madras High Court on Monday made it “abundantly clear that the pedigree based on caste will have no role to play in the appointment of ‘Archaka’ (temple priest) if the person so selected for the post otherwise satisfies the requirements such as being well-versed in the knowledge required, properly trained and qualified to perform pujas and other rituals as per the requirements under the Agama Sastra applicable to the temple concerned.

In a significant verdict, the Madras High Court on Monday made it “abundantly clear that the pedigree based on caste will have no role to play in the appointment of ‘Archaka’ (temple priest) if the person so selected for the post otherwise satisfies the requirements such as being well-versed in the knowledge required, properly trained and qualified to perform pujas and other rituals as per the requirements under the Agama Sastra applicable to the temple concerned.

Justice N. Anand Venkatesh passed the ruling while disposing of a writ petition filed by Muthu Subramania Gurukal in 2018, challenging a notification issued that year by the Executive Officer of Sri Sugavaneswarar Swamy Temple in Salem calling for applications to fill up the post of Archagar/Sthanigar. The petitioner had insisted that the appointments should be made only in accordance with the Agama followed by the temple.

Pursuant to the filing of the writ petition, the first Division Bench of the High Court had, in 2022, constituted a committee headed by Madras High Court retired judge M. Chockalingam to identify Agamic and non Agamic temples in the State. Therefore, another question arose before Justice Venkatesh as to whether all temples should defer appointments of priests until the court-appointed committee submitted its report.

Answering these questions, the judge held that there would be no impediment for temple trustees and ‘Fit Persons’ appointed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to appoint the priests, even before the submission of the report by the committee, if there was no doubt about the particular Agama to be followed with respect to a temple. Even in respect of the Sugavaneswarar Swamy Temple, the judge allowed the appointment process. He added it would be open to the writ petitioner too, to participate in the selection.