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In a plea for a strict dress code for entering Hindu temples, the Madras High Court has directed that managements of those temples, which have dress codes, could put in place regulatory measures for ensuring decorum.

Refusing to grant general directions as sought by the petitioner, temple activist Rangarajan Narasimhan, the bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy said,

"The temples having dress code may fix visible sign boards to ensure that the dress code is followed and the temples can take regulatory measures in such regard...The general direction of the nature sought by the petitioner, appearing in person, cannot be given."

Court also added that if the temple is not having any dress code for the devotees, such devotees should be permitted to enter into the temple according to the provisions of the Act of 1947.

Importantly, court observed that "it is not for the Courts to venture into unchartered waters and thrust our opinions on society. It is the devotees who should realise that they are entering into a place of worship and they need to adhere to the customs in vogue at such temple, if any."

Court stressed, " A person having faith and devotion towards the God needs to maintain proper dress code by himself, by following customary practice of the temple, if any...The devotees are expected to enter the temples in proper dress to maintain the sanctity of the temple."

Noting that a mechanism has been provided under the Tamil Nadu Temple Entry Authorisation Act, 1947 to maintain order and decorum inside a temple, court rejected Narasimhan's prayer seeking a particular dress code to be followed inside a temple. 

Narasimhan had sought court's directions to the Commissioner of the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department to put up necessary visible signboards in all temples clearly mandating the dress code for entering the temple which should include a distinct Sanathana Dharma mark on the forehead, dhoti, saree, pyjama-kurta, salwar kameez.

He had alleged that though as per the provisions of the HR&CE Act, 1959, only a Hindu can enter the temple, in absence of a proper dress code, even persons of other religions are making entry into the temple. Accordingly, he had pressed that prescription of dress code is necessary to maintain the sanctity of Hindu temples.

However, opposing Narsimhan's plea, Advocate-General Mr.R.Shunmugasundaram had argued that in the absence of dress code of a particular temple, putting up of signboard prescribing the dress code cannot be issued. 

Referring to the case of Mrinalini Padhi v. Union of India and others, (2018), he had said that the direction of the nature sought by Narasimhan was left to the discretion of the management of the temple to take regulatory measures in regard to the dress code.

"It is, however, with liberty to allow the devotee of any faith to enter the temple," he had added. 

Case Title: Rangarajan Narasimhan v. The Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Tamil Nadu and 2 Ors.