Court mandates peace committee for temple festival amid group disputes, ensuring inclusive participation without specific ritual claims.

COMMON ORDER

WMP Crl.(MD)No.418 of 2026 filed seeking permission of this Court to file a single writ petition is ordered.

2. WP Crl.(MD)No.1725 of 2026 has been filed by one D.Agniveeranan, seeking for a direction to the respondents to grant permission to conduct the Panguni Uthira Thiruvizha on 31.03.2026 and 01.04.2026 to celebrate the festival in Sri Malaisamy Temple situated in Y.Kodikulam Village, Y.Kodikulam Post, Madurai District, on the basis of the petitioner's representation dated 12.03.2026.

3. WP Crl.(MD)No.1742 of 2026 has been filed by one V.P.Natarajan and two others, seeking to quash the impugned proceedings of the 2^nd respondent in Na.Ka.the.720/2026 dated 20.03.2026, and also to direct the official respondents to permit the petitioners the villagers of Y.Kodikulam, 4 Karaikarars and the poosaries to perform the panguni uthiram on 01.04.2026 in the aforesaid same temple.

4. The petitioner in WP Crl.(MD)No.1725 of 2026, namely, D.Agniveeranan, belongs to the second karai, namely Kannan Kootam of the said temple Y.Kodikulam village. It is claimed that four groups referred as Karuppan Kootam, Kannan Kootam, Nallakaruppan Kootam, and Kodiyan Kootam belong to Y.Kodikulam village. In the eve of the festival of Panguni Utthiram, every year festival would be conducted in Sri Malaisamy Temple situated in Y.Kodikulam Village. However, the group headed by D.Agniveeranan belonging to Kannan Kootam has raised objection for the other three groups from conducting Panguni Utthiram festival in Sri Malaisamy Temple situated in Y.Kodikulam Village, as a result of which, the Revenue Division Officer, Madurai Cum Returning Officer, 189, Madurai East Legislative Assembly Constituency has passed the impugned order refusing permission to the Karuppan Kootam, Nallakaruppan Kootam, and Kodiyan Kootam from conducting the festival as required by them.

5. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner in WP Crl.(MD)No.

1725 of 2026, submitted that for the past few years, the second karai, namely, Kannan Kootam, is permitted to conduct the Panguni Utthiram festival, facilitating the participation of the people from all the communities, who are residing in Y.Kodikulam Village. Only the first karai poosari, alone is permitted to perform the charamani ritual and the poosaries from other groups are prevented from performing the said charamani. Hence, there is an indifference between them.

6. However, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioners in WP Crl.

(MD)No.1742 of 2026, representing the other three Kootams, namely, Karuppan Kootam, Nallakaruppan Kootam and Kodiyan Kootam, categorically contended that there is no indifference between any of these groups, and infact, they want all the people belonging to these four groups, along with the people of other community, who are residing in Y.Kodikulam Village, to participate in the Panguni Uthiram festival in Sri Malaisamy Temple. Only because of the unnecessary claim of the second karai, namely, Kannan Koottam, now for the first time, the respondents have denied permission for conduct of Panguni Uthiram.

7. The learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondent police submitted that, for the purpose of conducting Panguni Uthiram, the festival would commence with the initiation of Mandala Pooja, followed by a 48-days fasting observance by the villagers, culminating in the celebration of Panguni Uthiram. However, due to the stiff opposition shown by the second karai, namely, Kannan Koottam, headed by D.Agniveeranan, the Revenue Division Officer, Madurai Cum Returning Officer, 189, Madurai East Legislative Assembly Constituency was compelled to conduct a peace committee between all these four koottams, where a proper resolution could not be arrived at, and hence the concerned thasildar refused to give permission to c