13, 14, 70, 83, 437, 438, 439, 440, 441, 442, 443 and 444 of 1971.
A. Palkhiwala, A. J. Rana and M. S. Narasimhan, for the petitioners in W.P. No.
442 of 1971 .
Under Article 32 of the Constitution of India for the enforce, ment of the Fundamental Rights.
440 of 1971 .
The State Legislature of Tamil Nadu enacted The Tamil Nadu Hindu religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959 being Tamil Nadu Act xxii of 1959 hereinafter referred to as the principle Act.
438 and 444 of 1971 .
Parasaran and K. Jayaram, for the petitioners in W.P. No.
Parasaran and M. Narasimhan, for the petitioners in W.P. No.
Natesan and M. S. Narasimhan, for the petitioners in W.Ps.
ORIGINAL JURISDICTION Writ Petitions Nos.
S Govind Swaminadhan, Advocate, General for the State of Tamil Nadu, S. Mohan, N. S. Sivan and A. V. Rangam, for the respondent in all the petitions .
13 and 14 of 1971 .
S. Narasimhan, for the petitioner in W.P. No.
70.of 1971 .
437 of 1971 .
439 and 443 of 1971 .
The validity of the Amendment Act had been also impugned on the ground that it interfered with certain other fundamental rights of the petitioners but that ease was number pressed at the time of the hearing.
As, companymon questions were involved in all these petitions, arguments were addressed principally in Writ Petitions 13/1971 and 442/ 1971, and we are, assured by companynsel for both sides that they companyer the points involved In all the other petitions.
441 of 1971 .
Gopalakrishnan, for the petitioners in W.Ps.
Natesan and K. Jayaram, for the petitioners in W.P. No.
G. Ramchandran and M. S. Narasimhan, for the petitioners in P. Nos.
Annadurai Ayyangar and M. S. Narasimhan, for the petitioners in W.P. No.
83 of 1971 .
Writ Petitions 70, s3, 437, 438, 439, 440 441, 442, 445 and 444/71 are filed by the Archakas, and I Writ Petitions 13 and 14/1971 are filed by the Mathadhipatis to whose Math some temples are attached.
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by Palekar, J. In these 12 petitions under Article 32 of the Constitution filed by the hereditary Archakas and Mathadhipatis of some ancient Hindu Public temples in Tamil Nadu the validity of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Amendment Act, 1970 hereinafter referred to as the Amendment Act, 1970 is called in question, principally, on the ground that it violates their freedom of religion secured to them under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution.
