After meeting with the challenge over utilizing the surplus funds of the temples to the COVID-19 relief efforts, the Tamil Nadu state government has, on Monday, informed the Madras High Court bench that it has decided to withdraw the circular and not to insist contributions from the temples.

On April 24, the Tamil Nadu government has issued a circular of utilizing the surplus funds lying with the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department for the COVID-19 relief efforts. However, the publisher of a Tamil daily and others had moved their petition to the Madras High Court challenging the government's circular. 

In the plea, the petitioners alleged that the Commissioner of HR&CE had illegitimately issued the circular in which he mandated the temples in the categories specified to contribute funds from their surplus to the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund to fight against the COVID-19 virus. 

The petitioners claimed that the commissioner enjoys no authority to issue such a circular for the temples that have been closed for the past two months due to the lockdown and these temples have no flow of revenue currently. According to the reports, the Tamil Nadu government has, on Monday, informed the high court that it would withdraw the circular. 

Commissioner of HR&CE Karthikeyan has submitted the assertion of the government when the hearing came to the special bench of the High court comprised of Justices Vineet Kothari and Pushpa Sathyanarayana. The commissioner said that the circular is likely to be withdrawn and the department won't be insisting any contribution from such temples. 

After the hearing, that was conducted through video conference, the special bench had instructed the commissioner to produce the order of withdrawing the circular passed the department on the next hearing, which has been scheduled on May 8.