Tamil Nadu frames strict new rules to protect Hindu temple lands from alienation. The state government issued the Alienation of Immovable Property of the Religious Institutions Rules, 2025, on December 1, laying down elaborate guidelines for the HR and CE department regarding the sale, exchange, lease, or mortgage of temple lands. The rules supersede the Revenue Department rules that existed since May 18, 1960, and aim to prevent undervaluation and loss of sacred temple properties.
The 2025 Rules mandate that temple land value shall be fixed based on market value or guideline value, whichever is higher. Sale value varies by location: temple lands in urban areas shall be sold at 225 per cent of land value, lands within 30 km at 275 per cent, lands 30 to 50 km away at 325 per cent, and lands beyond 50 km at 425 per cent. This ensures temples receive fair compensation and prevents exploitation of sacred assets by undervaluing them.
For exchange of temple lands, the private land offered must have a clear title, no encumbrances, encroachments, litigation, or conflicts, and must not be in Open Space Reserve, buffer zones, Hill Area Conservation Authority zones, or eco-sensitive areas. Lands must have clear access to major district roads or highways and cannot be landlocked. If the temple land value is higher, the difference must be compensated in cash or a larger extent of private land. Every proposal must be published in government gazettes, district gazettes, temple notice boards, local body boards, and newspapers, inviting public objections within 30 days.
When temple lands are protected by law, dharma is protected by governance. These rules are a step toward ending the systematic exploitation of Hindu temple properties. Transparency, fair valuation, and public scrutiny must become the norm. Sacred lands are not state assets to be traded. They belong to the deity and devotees.
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