This is not really about temples; it is about democratic practices in ancient Tamilnadu and might have been discusses before. I came across it through a post of mark Thoma during the recent American elections. From
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/f...1001421200.htm
"THE KUMBABHISHEKAM on June 8 last of the Sundaravarada temple of Uttiramerur, Kanchipuram district, was the culmination of a great renovation work.
This temple was built around 750 A.D. during the Pallava rule, but underwent a second great renovation in the hands of Rajendra Chola in 1013 A.D., and again in the reign of the great Vijayanagar Emperor, Krishnadevaraya in 1520 A.D.
The village is known for its historic inscription of a written constitution that deals with elections to the village assembly, qualifications required of candidates contesting in elections, circumstances under which a candidate may be disqualified, mode of election, tenure of the elected candidates and the right of the public to recall the elected members when they failed to discharge their duties properly and so on.
It is interesting how in every aspect of life the highest standard of democracy was enforced in Uttiramerur."