Madras High Court Halts Church Construction Near Coimbatore Temple, Cites Need for Religious Amity

The Madras High Court has granted an interim injunction restraining the construction of a church in close proximity to the Mariamman Temple on Kalapatti Main Road in Coimbatore. A Division Bench of Justices G.R. Swaminathan and V. Lakshminarayanan passed the order, observing that the proposed site is recorded as a public road in revenue records and that the potential for disruption of public order and religious harmony necessitated the stay.

The court noted that the Mariamman Temple has existed for over a century, and out of approximately 1,000 families residing in the vicinity, about 950 are Hindu, 15 are Muslim, and only a few are Christian. In 2010, the Coimbatore District Collector had granted permission for the church construction. However, temple worshippers filed a civil suit in 2011 challenging this decision. While the suit was pending, the Collector and the Coimbatore North Revenue Divisional Officer issued orders in May 2023 granting police protection for the construction, but following a law and order situation, the Collector ordered a halt to the work in June 2023.

The Church of South India (CSI), which manages the Christ King Church, filed a writ petition in 2024 against the stop order. That petition was disposed of on April 28, 2026, by Justice M. Dhandapani, granting liberty to the CSI to seek fresh permission after the disposal of the 2011 civil suit. Subsequently, N. Balasubramaniyam, the writ petitioner in the current case, approached the High Court in May 2026, challenging the 2023 orders of the Collector and the RDO.

During the hearing, the petitioner's counsel, D. Baskar, raised arguments about a changed political climate, alleging that certain fundamentalist organisations had become emboldened after the change in government led by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. He referred to posters across the state calling for construction of churches in every village, and mentioned that Legislative Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar distributed free copies of the Bible and quoted biblical verses in his inaugural address. The counsel also pointed to the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party's silence when the Leader of the Opposition, Udhayanidhi Stalin, spoke of the "annihilation of Sanatana Dharma" in the Assembly. The petitioner's side contended that due to this disruption in the political ecosystem, the church construction, which had been put on hold, was resumed recently.

The Bench, however, focused on the legal principles. Justice Swaminathan, writing the order, stated: "The political scenario may change. But so long as the position of law remains what it is, it is our duty to give effect to the same." The court underscored that the constitutional right to profess, practise, and propagate religion is subject to public order. It described Coimbatore as a communally sensitive city that has witnessed bomb blasts and bloody religious riots. The proposed church would come up within a stone's throw of the existing temple, and with only a handful of Christian families in the area, the court observed: "If a large church is proposed to be constructed in the vicinity of the Mariamman Temple, mala fide intentions cannot be ruled out."

The judges further emphasised India's secular and pluralistic character, stating: "We are a secular nation. We are a pluralist society. Religious amity has to be preserved." They noted that an overwhelming majority of Hindus opposed the construction, and that if a religious right is established, it is the duty of the State to aid its exercise, but not at the cost of public order. The interim injunction effectively halts the construction until the civil suit is decided or further orders from the court. The order also recorded that the land in question is classified as a public road in revenue records, adding a legal dimension to the restraint.