TN Allowed to Appoint Priests in Non-Agama Temples

Amid the ongoing debate sparked by the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, about the extent to which the state can interfere in a community's religious affairs, the Supreme Court has allowed the Tamil Nadu government to appoint 'archakas' (priests) to the state's temples not governed by Agama tradition.

- ANANTHAKRISHNAN G

A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal, in an order dated May 14 and made available Tuesday, allowed the state to fill the vacancies in non-Agama temples after a committee set up on the orders of the Madras HC completes its task of identifying the number of Agama temples in the state. The state said the identification exercise is expected to be completed within three months.