BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 29.01.2024 CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE B.PUGALENDHI W.P.(MD)No.1648 of 2024 T.Periya Puravi ... Petitioner versus

1. The Assistant Commissioner, Hindu Religious Charitable and Endowments Department, Perambalur.

2. The Inspector, Hindu Religious Charitable and Endowments Department, Thuraiyur, Trichy District. ... Respondents Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, seeking for the issuance of Writ of Mandamus, to direct the respondents to allow the petitioner to conduct the Ma Vilakku and Ammasamy Poojas during the month of January and also ther thiruvizha in the month of August 2024 at the temple premises as usual by considering the representation of the petitioner dated 13.10.2023.

For Petitioner : Mr.B.Jameelarasu For Respondents : Mr.P.Subba Raj, Special Government Pleader

ORDER

The petitioner claims that he is one of the five members, recognized by the Thasildar, Thuraiyur, in the Peace Committee Meeting dated 29.07.2023, to conduct festivals in Selva Maha Mariamman and Selva Vinayagar Koil at Ammapatti, Thuraiyur Taluk, Trichy District. Now, he has approached this Court for a Mandamus, directing the respondents to allow the petitioner to conduct Maa Vilakku (khtpsf;F) and Ammasamy Poojas during the month of January 2024 and also the car festival in the month of August 2024 at the temple premises, by considering his representation dated

13.10.2023.

2. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that there was some dispute between the villagers during the festival in the last year. Therefore, a peace committee meeting was convened by the Tahsildar, Thuraiyur, in the presence of villagers, members from the Revenue Department, Police Department and the officials of the HR&CE Department and a decision was taken to constitute an Ad-hoc Committee, consisting of five members, namely, (i) Periya Puravi, (petitioner herein) (ii) Nandakumar, (iii) Kaliya Perumal, (iv) Durai Pandian, (v) Solamuthu, to conduct the temple festivals. Pursuant to the same, the said Committee conducted the temple festivals peacefully. Now, the first respondent has not allowed this Committee to perform the temple festival which is scheduled to be conducted in the month of January 2024. Hence, the petitioner has filed this writ petition.

3. Today, the second respondent/the Inspector of HR&CE Department, Thuraiyur, is present before this Court. The learned Special Government Pleader, based on the instructions given by the second respondent, submits that the Temple situates in a Government Promboke Land in Survey No.130/1 and no trustees have been appointed for this temple so far. He further submits that there is a dispute with regard to the administration of the temple and a Civil Suit is also pending before the District Munsif Court, Thuraiyur in O.S.No. 172 of 2017. In view of the dispute prevailing between several groups, the temple festival was not conducted on the previous occasions. In this regard, 1^st Peace Committee Meeting was conducted on 11.05.2022. Thereafter, pursuant to the order of this Court in W.P. (MD)No.17422 of 2022, 2^nd Peace Committee Meeting was conducted on 07.09.2022. Thereafter, 3^rd Peace Committee Meeting was conducted on 10.05.2023, 4^th Peace Committee Meeting was conducted on 29.07.2023 and 5^th Peace Committee Meeting was conducted on 02.09.2023. In the 5^th Peace Committee Meeting conducted on 02.09.2023, the parties have agreed to withdraw the Civil Suit pending before the District Munsif Court, Thuraiyur, in O.S.No.172 of 2017 and based on that, the Tahsildar, Thuraiyur, has appointed the Ad-hoc Committee consisting of the above five members and permitted them to conduct the temple festivals. Pursuant to the same, the temple festival was conducted from 01.08.2023 to 09.08.2023 peacefully. But, the parties have not withdrawn the suit in O.S.No.172 of 2017 and the same is still pending before the Court. Now, the villagers are raising obj