The court invokes the Vatican’s papal election process as it directs traditional temple authorities to choose a successor to the Srirangam Jeeyar, a position left vacant since 2018.
A leadership vacuum at the historic Srirangam temple has drawn an unusual comparison from the Madras High Court: the election of a Pope behind the closed doors of the Sistine Chapel.
In a recent ruling, a division bench of Justices GR Swaminathan and P Murugan directed that a successor to the Sriranganarayana Jeeyar be selected within six months. The court also made its position on government involvement unmistakable: the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department cannot appoint or approve the next pontiff.
The dispute came before the court through a public interest litigation filed by S Veeraraghavan, a devotee of the Sri Vaishnava Tenkalai tradition, who sought the appointment of a successor to the previous Jeeyar.
A vacancy that has lasted eight years
The Jeeyar occupies a distinctive place in Srirangam’s religious and institutional life. The lineage traces its roots to the 12th century, when Sri Ramanujacharya established an elaborate system for managing the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple.
Beyond spiritual duties, the Jeeyar has traditionally held administrative responsibilities and served as an impartial authority overseeing adherence to Agamic practices.
The 50th Jeeyar, who took office in 1989, died in 2018 without naming a successor. Under the Mutt’s established customs, the responsibility for choosing the next pontiff rests with the Sthalattars, who must reach a unanimous decision or settle the matter by majority.
Yet nearly eight years later, the position remains unfilled.
‘Do not leave until a successor is chosen’
To convey the urgency of the situation, the bench turned to the Vatican’s papal election tradition. Cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel and remain secluded until a new Pope is elected, with white smoke signalling the outcome.
The judges suggested a comparable approach for the Srirangam succession dispute: the Sthalattars should remain inside the Mutt until they resolve the issue.
The pointed analogy reflected the court’s impatience with a process that has remained stalled for years.
The bench also questioned why the selection had not moved forward, observing that the prolonged absence of a Jeeyar had left other functionaries exercising powers that would ordinarily fall within the pontiff’s authority.
Without a Jeeyar to question their decisions, the court reasoned, those who had benefited from the existing arrangement had little incentive to change it.
The judges said the continuing vacancy infringed upon the rights of devotees, adding that the failure to appoint a successor violated the fundamental rights of the Mutt’s disciples under Article 25 of the Constitution, which protects freedom of religion.
Government cannot choose a religious head
The HR&CE Department had invited applications for the position in 2021 and received responses from eligible candidates. However, the process did not lead to an appointment.
The court expressed concern over the reported appointment of the previous Jeeyar through proceedings issued by a temple official under Section 55(1) of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959.
It made clear that a similar approach would not be permitted in selecting the next pontiff.
The bench held that appointing a religious head is fundamentally a religious function, not a routine administrative exercise. Consequently, the department has no authority to select or approve the successor.
It also clarified that the Jeeyar is not an employee of the temple and cannot be placed under the disciplinary control of its trustees.
Six months to resolve the dispute
The court has directed the jurisdictional Joint Commissioner to convene a meeting of the Sthalattars and ensure that the selection is completed within six months.
The deadline comes with a warning. If the traditional authorities fail to act, the court said it could intervene under its parens patriae jurisdiction—a legal power exercised to protect the rights and interests of those who may otherwise be left without an effective remedy.
Such intervention could include seeking assistance from eminent Vaishnavite saints or an appropriate religious institution to bring the prolonged impasse to an end.
The bench also addressed the practical arrangements awaiting the next Jeeyar. The successor would be entitled to accommodation at Cheran Mutt within the temple complex, along with maintenance from the Mutt’s income.
The ruling places the responsibility for succession squarely on the traditional custodians of the institution while drawing a firm boundary around the state’s role.
For Srirangam, the immediate question is no longer simply who will become the next Jeeyar. It is whether a succession process that has remained unresolved since 2018 can finally produce an answer within the six months allowed by the court.