State must prohibit phones in temples, per MadrasHigh Court’s directive.

In order to preserve the “purity and sanctity” of temples, the Madras High Court on Friday ordered the
Tamil Nadu government to forbid the use of cameras and cellphones across all temples in the State.
A Madurai bench of Justices R Mahadevan and J Sathya Narayana further ordered the State to make
sure that visitors to temples and worshippers follow appropriate dress codes.
Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition submitted by a staff member of the historic Arulmigu
Subramaniya Swamy Temple in Thoothukudi district, Tennessee.The bench ruled that the use of
cellphones and cameras inside temples should be restricted by the temple administration since they
“divert the attention of the devotees.”