The story so far: Days after a ban on registration of title deeds for 3,085 acres of patta lands of the public in different parts of Tamil Nadu’s Karur district was lifted, the Madras High Court’s Madurai Bench was approached by a Salem resident with a public interest litigation, challenging the District Collector’s decision.

Collector C. Muthukumaran’s recommendation on July 9 to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Commissioner T.G. Vinay was on the lands which once lay in the name of four temples. The HR&CE Department officials also undertook a follow up. On July 14, 2026 the Bench directed the State government to file a counter affidavit to the petition.