SC upholds eviction of Muslims who bought temple land, built houses

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has upheld a Madras High Court order directing the eviction of Muslim families who purchased plots and built homes on 3.93 acres of land belonging to the Arulmigu Annamalainathar Temple in Kadayanallur, Tamil Nadu. A mosque and an Arabic school run by the local Muslim Jamaat are also located on the disputed property.

A Bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and Vipul Pancholi refused to interfere with the High Court ruling, paving the way for the eviction of the occupants from the temple land.

The dispute stems from a 1995 auction in which five people participated. The High Court found serious irregularities in the process and noted allegations that the property had been sold for substantially less than its market value. The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) authorities subsequently cancelled the auction in 1997, though the Tamil Nadu government issued an order in 2002 validating the sale.

The property changed hands several times after the auction. The original purchaser sold it to 13 people in 2004, who later divided the land into plots and sold them to more than 100 people. Many purchasers, including Muslim families, built houses and began living in them.

The HR&CE department later initiated proceedings against 83 occupants under Section 78 of the relevant law and issued eviction orders. Notices reportedly offered the occupants an opportunity to continue as tenants.

The Madras High Court held that the interests of the temple and its deity take precedence over private claims to the property. The Supreme Court's refusal to intervene has now left the eviction order in force, placing the Muslim families residing on the disputed temple land at risk of displacement.