Madras High Court
S.Ganesan vs The District Collector on 14 February, 2025
W.P.(MD).No.3985 of 2025
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT
DATED : 14.02.2025
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE P.DHANABAL
W.P(MD) No.3985 of 2025
S.Ganesan ... Petitioner
vs.
1.The District Collector,
Sivagangai District,
Sivagangai, Tamilnadu.
2. The Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO),
Sivagangai District,
Sivagangai.
3. The Tahsildar,
Sivagangai District,
Sivagangai.
4. The Inspector of Police,
Devakottai Taluk Police Station,
Sivagangai District.
5. Ramu @ Velayuthaperumal
6. Alagarsamy ... Respondents
PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of
India to issue a Writ of Mandamus, direct the second respondent based on
the petitioner's representation dated 12.12.2024, to reopen the
Thiruppakottai Muthumariamman Temple and allow the petitioner and
other devotees to perform the scheduled poojas and religious ceremonies
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W.P.(MD).No.3985 of 2025
like vaikasi festival scheduled on 20.05.2025 to 29.05.2025, including
hair tonsuring and ear-piercing, without any first person priority and
interference and also direct the fourth respondent to provide adequate
police protection to ensure the peaceful conduct of the vaikasi festival at
the temple.
For petitioner : Mr.S.Suresh Manickam
For Respondent Nos.1 to 3 : Mr.M.Senthil Ayyanar
Government Advocate
For Respondent No.4 : Mr.R.M.Anbunithi
Additional Public Prosecutor
ORDER
This writ petition has been filed seeking direction to direct the second respondent based on the petitioner's representation dated 12.12.2024, to reopen the Thiruppakottai Muthumariamman Temple and allow the petitioner and other devotees to perform the scheduled poojas and religious ceremonies like vaikasi festival scheduled on 20.05.2025 to 29.05.2025, including hair tonsuring and ear-piercing, without giving first priority to any person and also direct the fourth respondent to provide adequate police protection to ensure the peaceful conduct of the vaikasi festival at the temple.
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2. The learned Counsel appearing for the writ petitioner would submit that the Thiruppakottai Muthumariamman Temple is a 100 years old temple situated at Thiruppakottai Village. The local village people have been participating in the temple's religious observances, including the annual vaikasi festival, hair tonsuring, ear piercing and other customary rituals for generations. While so, during the year 2015, a few individuals including the private respondents 5 and 6 sought for first priority in the temple Poojas and thereby created issue. Therefore, after enquiry, the second respondent closed the temple. Thereafter, they conducted a peace committee meeting on 16.07.2024 and there is no amicable settlement was arrived between the parties. Therefore, the petitioner gave a representation on 12.12.2024 and the same has not been considered. Hence, the present writ petition has been filed.
3. The learned Government Advocate appearing for the 1 to 3 respondents would submit that already they conducted a peace committee meeting and there was no amicable settlement arrived between the parties. However, once again they are ready to conduct peace meeting and to settle the matter amicably.
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4. The learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the 4th respondent would submit that if the petitioner and the private respondents undertakes to conduct the festival in a peaceful manner, the respondent police have no objection to grant permission to conduct the Vaikasi festival scheduled to be held on 20.05.2025 to 29.05.2025.
5. Considering the limited scope of prayer sought for in this writ petition this Court without issuing any notice to the private respondents, is inclined to pass orders.
6. In this case, the prayer of the petitioner is to consider the representation dated 12.12.2024 and to take steps to reopen the temple for the Vaikasi festival scheduled to be held on 20.05.2025 to 29.05.2025. According to the 1 to 3 respondents, there are rival groups claiming the property and worship in the temple and thereby they conducted a peace committee meeting and the same was failed. However, the learned Government Advocate appearing for the 1 to 3 respondents and the learned Counsel appearing for the other respondents submitted that once again they will conduct peace committee meeting to arrive at a conclusion regarding the issue relates to the said temple and they will take suitable _____________ https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Page No. 4 of 6 W.P.(MD).No.3985 of 2025 action. Therefore, this Court directs the second respondent to conduct peace committee meeting to solve the issues between the parties after issuing notice to all the interested parties and after hearing both parties to pass orders on merits and in accordance with law. The said exercise shall be completed within a period of four weeks from the date of this order.
7. With the above observations and directions, this Writ Petition is disposed of. No costs.
14.02.2025
NCC : Yes/No
Index : Yes / No
Internet : Yes / No
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W.P.(MD).No.3985 of 2025
P.DHANABAL,J
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To
1.The District Collector,
Sivagangai District,
Sivagangai, Tamilnadu.
2. The Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO), Sivagangai District, Sivagangai.
3. The Tahsildar, Sivagangai District, Sivagangai.
4. The Inspector of Police, Devakottai Taluk Police Station, Sivagangai District.
W.P(MD) No.3985 of 2025
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