Common Order:

Belying the hopes expressed by eminent judges and ignoring the scathing criticism and ridicule, made on and off the Court, for over two centuries, the two schools (Thengalais and Vadagalais) of Srivaishnavism have continued to engage Lord Devarajaswami of Kancheepuram in a never ending litigation. Every judgment is rendered by a court in the fond hope that it would resolve the disputes between the parties once and for all. But the disputes relating to the temple of Devarajaswami always belied such hopes as seen from the observations of the Sub-Court, Chinglepet in O.S.No.30 of 1956 wherein the learned Judge observed:

"The history of litigation shows that when one controversy is solved by judicial decision, another controversy arises, as a sphinx from its ashes, to help the flame of eternal disputations" The writ petitions herein are part of that legacy.

2. The petitioners have come up with the present writ petitions (i) challenging the initiation of suo motu proceedings by the Joint Commissioner of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department in O.A.No. 21 of 1999 for the modification of a scheme for the management of the Arulmigu Devaraja Swamy