The court affirms the right to police protection under Article 226 when project operations face unlawful interference, emphasizing public order and safety.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED : 23.03.2026 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.NIRMAL KUMAR M/s.CMES Jupiter Private Limited, Administrative Office at Kuber Building, 1^st Floor, Old No.425, New No.42, Pantheon Road, Egmore, Chennai – 600 088.

Represented by its Authorised Signatory T.Thangarasu ... Petitioner Vs.

1. District Collector, Office of the District Collector, Tiruvarur District, Tiruvarur – 610 004.

2. Superintendent of Police, Office of the Superintendent of Police, Tiruvarur District, Tiruvarur – 610 004. 3. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Muthupet Division, Muthupet – 614 704.

4. Inspector of Police, Perugavazhndan Police Station, Perugavazhndan – 614 705. ... Respondents PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for praying to issue a writ of mandamus, directing the 1^st and 2^nd respondents to provide effective and necessary police protection to the petitioner’s office, its employees’ life and limb and to conduct their solar photovoltaic power generation plant development activities at Project Site at Perugavazhnthan Village, Muthupet Taluk, Tiruvarur District based on the representation dated 17.02.2026 by the petitioner.

For Petitioners : Mr.R.Shanmugasundaram Senior counsel for Mr.A.P.Pasupathy For Respondent : Mr.Leonard Arul Joseph Selvam Addl. Public Prosecutor [R2 to R4]

ORDER This writ petition has been filed to direct the 1^st and 2^nd respondents to provide effective and necessary police protection to the petitioner’s office, its employees’ life and limb and to conduct their solar photovoltaic power generation plant development activities at Project Site at Perugavazhnthan Village, Muthupet Taluk, Tiruvarur District based on the representation given by the petitioner on dated 17.02.2026.

2. When the matter was taken up for hearing on 03.03.2026, this Court passed the following order:

“The petitioner company, which is a reputed independent Power Producer engaged in the development, construction and operation of renewable energy projects across India with substantial installed capacity has filed the present writ petition seeking adequate and necessary police protection to the petitioner’s office, its employees and its solar photovoltaic power plant development activities in connection with the implementation of a duly approved 100 MW solar Photovoltaic Power Project at Perugavazhnthan Village, Muthupet Taluk, Tiruvarur District. 2. According to the petitioner, for the purpose of establishment of the project, 160 acres of private patta lands in Perugavazhnthan Village, had been lawfully purchased and after obtaining necessary No Objection certificate from the Block Development Officer (Village Panchayat), Kottur Block and other statutory permissions and complying with all statutory and regulatory requirements, the project development activities were commenced in October, 2025 by mobilising manpower, machinery and constructions materials. In spite of the same, a group of individuals claiming to represent certain villagers began interfering with the project activities.

3. A peace committee meeting was convened on

14.02.2026 by the Tahsildar, Muthupet in the presence of revenue and police officials, representatives of the petitioner and certain objectors. Though the petitioner had placed all statutory approvals on record and clarified the queries raised by the objectors, it was of no avail. Subsequent thereto, there was unlawful trespass into the project site by the objectors, the ongoing construction activities of the petitioner was obstructed and the employees involved in the project were intimidated and threatened thereby compelling suspension of work. Though the petitioner submitted representations to the 1st and 2nd respondents, no concrete action was taken.

4. The petitioner would further submit that again