The Supreme Court on Wednesday (November 4) stayed the Madras High Court's order directing the constitution of a five-member Board of Management to take over the administration of the Chidambaram Nataraja Temple from the Podhu Dikshitars.

A bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Vipul Pancholi passed the interim order while hearing the challenge filed by the temple's Podhu Dikshitars against the High Court's direction.

The Madras High Court had passed the order on October 30, 2026, while disposing of a batch of writ petitions concerning the administration of the Sri Sabanayagar Temple, popularly known as the Chidambaram Nataraja Temple, in Tamil Nadu.

A Division Bench of Justice G Jayachandran and Justice E Manoharan had constituted the Board of Management, holding that judicial intervention was necessary to address alleged maladministration of the temple.

The five-member board was to comprise retired Madras High Court judge Justice V Bharathidasan as Chairman, retired judge Justice R Suresh Kumar as Co-Chairman, and retired IAS officer C Rajendran as a member. The Secretary of the Podhu Dikshitars and the Secretary of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department were to serve as ex-officio members.

The High Court had directed the board to take over the temple's administration "till the ill is cured".

The board was tasked with overseeing the temple's properties, financial accounts, heritage conservation and other administrative affairs. It was also directed to take steps to retrieve encroached temple properties, recover rental arrears, maintain proper accounts and ensure equal opportunities for devotees to have darshan from the Kanagasabai.

However, the High Court had clarified that the daily rituals and periodical festivals would remain within the exclusive prerogative of the Podhu Dikshitars, subject to established customs and practices.

The High Court's order had been challenged before the Supreme Court by the Podhu Dikshitars, who contended that the direction interfered with their right to administer the temple under Article 26 of the Constitution.