Temple tenants urge CM to introduce GO rent determination

Tenants of temple properties urged Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to intervene and implement the GO fixing rents issued by the previous government for residential properties. It is estimated that 20 thousand families will be directly affected by this GO 85 issued on 2/17/2026.

“This order has been issued after much deliberation. The current government can examine its pros and cons before taking a call. It would save a lot of time and energy and ensure that the temples receive the revenue on time,” said VA Balasubramanian, president of Tamil Nadu Koil Saarndhu/Saaradha Manaiyil Kudiyuruppor Sanga Koottamaippu.

D. Sasikumar, a member of the Sangam Committee, said that though the order in question was issued a few months before the Assembly elections, the respective temples had not implemented it. It was issued after tenants complained that a previous order issued in 2016 set rent rates too high.

Since there is no rule that fixes the rates of rent or lease due to the respective deities, the fixing of rents kept changing with each reign.

Only the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act section says that rent should be collected.

Mr. Balasubramanian also said that temples must allow for building repairs and should not require tenants to sign a donation deed to get a change of tenant’s name.

“The rent was last fixed based on the prevailing rent in the respective areas. But we objected to that too because properties built by private individuals by providing drinking water, sewerage and electricity connections on land they owned cannot be compared to temple properties where the structure was built by tenants.”

Mr. Sasikumar, who is also the president of Thiruvalleswarar Nagar Welfare Association, which is a temple property, also suggested that temples must undertake an exercise to identify sub-let and sub-sold properties and bring them to the tenement house. “This would bring an increase in revenue to the temples. Currently, no one is collecting rent from those who enjoy these properties,” he added.

Published – 14 Sep 2026 00:00 IST