Tamil Nadu Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, P.K. Sekar Babu, has announced exemptions to the mobile phone ban currently enforced in 52 major temples across the state. Pregnant women, individuals accompanied by infants, and persons with disabilities are now permitted to carry their phones inside these premises. The ban was originally implemented to curb the growing trend of filming social media reels within sacred spaces.
Addressing concerns regarding the five-rupee fee charged at temple cloakrooms for phone storage, the Minister clarified that the revenue is allocated toward staff salaries and the 'Annadhanam' food donation scheme. While the mobile phone restriction, previously piloted at sites like the Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, has now been extended to 52 locations, the government introduced these specific exemptions following public pushback against the blanket policy.
