Chennai, July 16 -- The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday allowed an appeal filed by the Arulmigu Dhandapani Swamigal Madam (Mutt), Palani. The court explicitly declared as "null and void" a highly controversial sale deed executed in favour of certain individuals in respect of 1.35 acres of land located in Palani, Dindigul district.

A Division Bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel overturned a previous Single Bench order. That lower order had directed the Sub-Registrar to register the sale deed if the document was otherwise found to be in order.

Upon reviewing the case, the Division Bench observed a critical flaw in the initial proceedings: the appellant Mutt had not been impleaded as a party before ...