BEFORE THE MADURAI BENGH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 22.01.2026 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE KRISHNAN RAMASAMY S.Thirupathy ... Petitioner Vs.

1.The District Collector, Office of the District Collector, Thoothukudi District – 628 101.

2.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Office of the Revenue Divisional Officer, Kovilpatty, Thoothukudi District – 628 501.

3.The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Office of the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kovilpatty, Thoothukudi District – 628 501.

4.The Tahsildar, Office of the Tahsildar, Ettayapuram, Thoothukudi District.

5.The Inspector of Police, Koppampatti Police Station, Sempudhur, Thoothukudi District.

6.Chella Mariyappan ... Respondents PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the fourth respondent to provide permission and guide the temple festival in Semapudur Arulmigu Sri Madasamy Temple, Thoothukudi District with 5^th respondent police protection for the 10 days festival held from 06.03.2026 to 15.03.2026 on the basis of the representation given by the petitioner to the respondents dated 19.12.2025 within the time limit that may be stipulated by this Court.

For Petitioner : Mr.Ramesh Mahadev For Respondents 1,2&4 : Mr.K.Balasubramani, Special Government Pleader For Respondents 3 & 5 : Mr.A.Albert James, Government Advocate For Respondent No.6 : Mr.K.Karansingh

O R D E R

This Writ Petition has been filed seeking for a direction to the fourth respondent to provide permission and guide the temple festival in Semapudur Arulmigu Sri Madasamy Temple, Thoothukudi District with 5^th respondent police protection for the 10 days festival held from 06.03.2026 to 15.03.2026 on the basis of the representation given by the petitioner to the respondents dated

19.12.2025.

2.Learned Counsel for the petitioner would submit that they intend to celebrate the festival in Semapudur Arulmighu Sri Periandavar Madasamy Thirukovil, Ettayapuram Taluk, Thoothukudi District, between 06.03.2026 to 15.03.2026. Hence, they sent a representation to the fourth respondent seeking permission to conduct festival with 5^th respondent police protection in a peaceful manner. Since the said representation is pending consideration, the present Writ Petition came to be filed.

3.Learned Counsel for the petitioner would further submit that there are two groups in which the petitioner belongs to one group and the other group is headed by the sixth respondent who was the previous trustee. However, at present one Sudalaikani is the present trustee. The other group headed by Sudalaikani, propose to conduct the temple festival between 17.02.2026 to 03.03.2026 in a similar manner. He further submitted that last year also the petitioner approached this Court in W.P.(MD)No.4942 of 2025 and this Court vide order dated 25.02.2025 directed the revenue and police officials to take appropriate action for peaceful conduct of the festival.

4.Learned Special Government Pleader for the official respondents would submit that if the petitioner and the other group propose to conduct the festival in a peaceful manner, they have no objection for providing permission and the interference of respondents 1 & 2 is not required.

5.Learned Government Advocate appearing for the respondent police would submit that since the petitioner seeks police protection, upon payment of necessary cost, they shall provide security.

6.Learned Counsel for the petitioner as well as the sixth respondent would submit that they require police protection only for 3 days of the festival. As far as the petitioner is concerned, they require police protection on 12.03.2026, 13.03.2026 and 14.03.2026 and as far as the sixth respondent is concerned, they require police protection on 24.02.2026, 25.02.2026 & 26.02.2026. Both the Counsel for the petitioner as well as the sixth respondent undertake to pay the necessary cost for police protection.

7.Heard the learned Counsel on either side.

8.Considering the facts and c