The court directed the administrative authority to decide on a representation for conducting a religious festival after providing a personal hearing to all competing claimants to ensure a fair and legal determination.

(Special Original Jurisdiction)

The Court made the following:

ORDER

The Writ Petition has been filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking the following relief:-

“…to issue any Writ Order or Direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents more particularly respondent Nos 1 5 and 6 to consider the petitioners representation dated 14.05.2026 and permit the petitioner to conduct Moharram festival from 15.06.2026 to 30.06.2026 pertaining to Hussaini Panja/Lanka Peer Panja/situated at Wynchipet Vijayawada subject to reasonable conditions and declare the inaction of the respondents in considering the representation dated 14.05.2026 as illegal arbitrary unjust and contrary to law and pass ….”

2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Pleader.

3. The petitioner claims that he has been conducting the Moharrum Festival for a long time.

4. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner has submitted a representation dated 15.05.2026 seeking permission to conduct the Moharrum Festival from 15.06.2026 to 30.06.2026 pertaining to Hussaini Panja/Lanka Peer Panja situated at Vijayawada. After filing of the Writ Petition, the Chief Executive Officer/respondent No.2 issued a notice dated 18.05.2026 in F.No.89/NTR/Permission/2024 stating that an opportunity of hearing would be afforded to the petitioner strictly in accordance with the directions issued by this Court in I.A.No.03 of 2026 in W.P.No.13245 of 2026 dated 06.05.2026. The said notice dated 18.05.2026 was also issued to the Writ Petitioner in W.P.No.13245 of 2026.

5. The interlocutory application was filed seeking a direction to respondent No.2 to consider the representation dated 15.05.2026 submitted by the petitioner for conducting the Moharrum Festival.

6. Mr. M.V. Raja Ram, learned counsel for the Writ Petitioner in W.P.No.13245 of 2026, submits that the petitioner therein, namely Shaik Jilani @ Saida, has been conducting the Moharrum Festival pertaining to Hussaini Panja/Lanka Peer Panja situated at Vijayawada from the year 2019 onwards.

7. In view of the notice issued by respondent No.2 not only to the present petitioner but also to the Writ Petitioner in W.P.No.13245 of 2026, undertaking personal hearing on their submissions, the Writ Petition is disposed of granting liberty to the petitioner to appear before respondent No.2 for personal hearing. Respondent No.2 shall consider the representation of the petitioner dated 15.05.2026 in accordance with law, duly taking into consideration the submissions of the Writ Petitioner in W.P.No.13245 of 2026. The representation of the petitioner shall be considered and appropriate orders shall be passed within a period of two weeks from this day.

8. With the above observations and directions, the Writ Petition is disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs.

As a sequel, Miscellaneous petitions, if any pending, shall stand closed.