THE POOHARI FAKIR SADAVARTHY OF BONDILIPURAM vs THE COMMISSIONER, HINDU RELIGIOUS AND CHARITABLEENDOWMENTS

The Supreme Court ruled that an institution qualifies as a public temple under the Hindu Religious Endowments Act, 1926, if it serves as a place of public worship and is dedicated to or used by the Hindu community as a place of worship. The Court held that the temple in question did not meet these criteria, as it was not accessible to the public without permission and was primarily for private worship. Additionally, the Court emphasized that entries in the Inam Register, while valuable, cannot be accepted at face value without considering other relevant evidence.