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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline JULY 24, 2026 | The Indian Eye 22

Religious Group Sues City of Elgin

in Quest to Build Hindu Temple

Lawsuit Challenges Unconstitutional Court Order Holding Up City Council Approved Development

NEERAJ DHAR

Elgin, IL
miya Mataji Sanstha Chicago
Midwest, filed a lawsuit on July
U14, 2026, against the City of
Elgin, Illinois, in the religious group’s
quest to construct a Hindu temple.
Plans for the temple, community
center, and family homes were pre-
liminarily approved by the Elgin City
Council in January 2026. The Umiya
Mataji Sanstha already owns the 34-
acre parcel at 890 Galt Boulevard
(adjacent to Lake Street / US High-
way 20) on the far east side of Elgin.
The proposed development aims to
best situate in the locale between
an industrial section to the west and
south and residential areas to the
north and east.

The approval was pursuant
to city zoning regulations and
consistent with Elgin’s current
Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

This preliminary approval was
the result of an extended re-
view of the design and layout of
the property components.

Elgin is currently unable to enact
an ordinance granting final approval of its violation of the free practice of the City of Elgin as a defendant in Even the city of Evanston was found-
of the project, due to a 59-year-old religion under the First Amendment. this lawsuit, but only to comply with ed as a haven where Methodists
court order that restricts the use of That decision also violates the fed- technical legal and jurisdictional re- could live and worship together.”
the land for industrial purposes. As eral Religious Land Use and Insti- quirements applicable to the litiga- A statement from the Umiya
a result, the city council has suspend- tutionalized Persons Act, and other tion. Attorneys for the Umiya Mataji Mataji Sanstha noted that, “The
ed its final approval, while the Umiya federal and Illinois laws. Sanstha do not anticipate requesting Umiya Hindu Community deeply
Mataji Sanstha seeks relief in court. The lawsuit also requests mone- any damages to be assessed against appreciates the American heritage of
A court order enabling Elgin to ex- tary damages against any defendants the city, which has been generally religious freedom, which it embraces
ercise its legislative zoning authority who may undertake to oppose the re- supportive of the project throughout as its own, and hopes for a resolution
over the land, in the same way it does lief requested with new court action. the development review process. of this matter through the appropri-
over all other parcels of land within This is to prohibit legal attempts to Attorney John Mauck spoke to ate legal channels.”
the city limits, will allow the project thwart the use of the land for its in- the religious liberty aspect of the law- The Umiya Mataji Sanstha Chi-
to move forward. tended and constitutionally protect- suit, saying, “The Hindu community cago Midwest is being represented in
The complaint seeks relief from ed religious and community purposes. we represent seeks only to establish United States District Court for the
the 1967 court order so that Elgin The estimated 300 residents what thousands of other Americans Northern District of Illinois by at-
will be free to grant final approval of named in the complaint are labeled already have, a place of worship and torneys from Mauck & Baker, LLC,
the Umiya Mataji Sanstha plans to as the legal successors to the origi- townhomes. Americans have long a Chicago based firm known for its
construct the temple complex on the nal plaintiffs in the 1967 court action, created religious settlements, from work defending religious liberty
land they own. The lawsuit is primar- due to their current ownership of monasteries and convents to Quaker and attorneys from Bazos, Freeman,
ily based on the unconstitutionality nearby property. villages, Mennonite enclaves, Shak- Schuster & Pope, LLC, legal zoning
of the original court order by reason Additionally, the lawsuit names er societies, and Amish fellowships. and land use experts.

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