HC dismisses plea seeking to bar CM Stalin from chairing HR&CE panels

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday rejected a petition seeking to bar Chief Minister MK Stalin from heading committees under the Hindu Religious Endowments Act. The petitioner, Chennai resident S Sridharan, wanted the court to restrain Stalin from heading any advisory committee under Section 7 of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959, unless he took a pledge before a Hindu god in a Hindu temple that he would profess Hindu faith. The court observed that prejudice and vendetta, especially when it comes to practising of religion, should be shed in this secular country. 

Though the court did not impose any cost on the petitioner, it barred him from filing any PIL for five years, without obtaining permission from the relevant Bench. Appearing before the Bench, the petitioner said that the chief minister is a non-believer and thus unqualified to chair the committees. As an elected representative, the chief minister is supposed to heed to the sentiments of the devotees, and respect and uphold the law of the land, he added. 

The First Bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice PD Audikesavulu dismissed the plea terming it “utterly mischievous, in extreme bad taste, and devoid of any public interest”. The court also emphasised that even the Constitution permits the oath of office to be taken either in the name of God or in the name of the Constitution of India.

“This is a secular country and secularism implies tolerance for other religions. This country also provides for freedom of expression to its citizens, which, in turn, implies lending an ear to other points of view,” the court said. “It does not appear that any religion preaches narrow mindedness. The sentiment expressed in the petition cannot be appreciated in this day and age,” the court added.

‘Religions don’t preach narrow mindedness’
“This is a secular country and secularism implies tolerance for other religions... It does not appear that any religion preaches narrow mindedness. The sentiment expressed in the petition cannot be appreciated in this day and age,” the court added