The Madras High Court ruled that the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department must investigate financial complaints in temples that collect donations from devotees. The court set aside a lower court order that allowed a temple in West Saidapet, Chennai, to lease a property without HR&CE approval. The Prasanna Venkata Narasimma Perumal Temple claimed it did not accept public donations, but HR&CE officials proved otherwise. The Division Bench said that if a temple acts like a public institution by accepting donations, the state has the duty to act on complaints of financial irregularities. The court ordered the HR&CE Commissioner to appoint a senior officer to complete an inquiry within four weeks. Until the investigation is over, the temple cannot lease or transfer its property. This decision reverses a June 2024 ruling which allowed the lease without a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from HR&CE. The court’s move ensures stricter oversight of temple finances.