Court balances temple festival permissions between rival groups by upholding police order and allocating alternate dates with protection.

THE HONOURABLE MRS.JUSTICE L.VICTORIA GOWRI A.Petchimuthu ... Petitioner Vs.

1.The Superintendent of Police, Tenkasi District, Tenkasi.

2.The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Office of the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sankarankovil, Tenkasi.

3.The Inspector of Police, Ayyapuram Police Station, Tenkasi District – 627 803.

4.Karuppasamy ... Respondents PRAYER : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to grant permission to the petitioner to celebrate and to perform the upcoming Panguni Festival of Arulmigu Kaduvetti Karuppasamy Kovil situated at Mahendravadi Village, Thiruvenkadam Taluk, Tenkasi District of this year to be conducted on 03.04.2026 followed by Pongal, Kida Vettuthal, Saama Poojai in a peaceful manner on the guise of the petitioner's representation dated 25.03.2026 by providing adequate police protection to the residents of the petitioner's village and further forbearing the 4^th respondent or his men or his agents from conducting the Panguni Festival of the temple. For Petitioner : Mr.S.A.Ganapathyraman For Respondents : Mr.M.Sakthi Kumar (R1 - R3)

Government Advocate (Crl.)

Mr.D.Shanmugarajasethupathy (R4)

ORDER

Seeking to direct the respondents to grant permission to the petitioner to celebrate and to perform the upcoming Panguni festival of Arulmigu Kaduvetti Karuppasamy Kovil situated at Mahendravadi Village, Thiruvenkadam Taluk, Tenkasi District on 03.04.2026, followed by Pongal, Kida Vettuthal, Saama Poojai considering the petitioner's representation, dated 25.03.2026 and forbearing the 4^th respondent and his men from conducting Panguni festival of the temple, this writ petition is filed.

2. The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that in the previous year, the 4^th respondent group had broke open the Hundi of the temple and had misappropriated the entire offering amount which was in the Hundi. In this regard, the petitioner had already lodged a complaint as against the 4^th respondent parties to the 3^rd respondent police. However, due to the inaction of the 3^rd respondent, the petitioner was compelled to file a civil suit in O.S.No. 119 of 2022 on the file of the Principal District Munsif, Sankarankovil. The suit is for permanent junction seeking to restrain the 4^th respondent parties from interfering with the peaceful administration and conduct of festivals in the subject temple and the same is pending. He further pointed out that if the 4^th respondent parties are allowed to conduct temple festival, what had happened in the earlier year would continue even this year and sought for the indulgence by granting him permission to conduct temple festival on 03.04.2026.

3. It is also brought to my attention that in W.P(MD)No.9728 of 2025 dated 07.04.2025, permission was granted by this Court permitting the 4^th respondent to conduct temple festival. Pursuant to which, temple festival was also conducted by the 4^th respondent. However, last year no temple festival was conducted due to the dispute between both the parties.

4. The learned Government Advocate(Criminal) placed before me the order passed by the 3^rd respondent police dated 15.03.2026 permitting the 4^th respondent to conduct temple festival on 03.04.2026 and 04.04.2026.

5. The learned counsel for the 4^th respondent submitted that in view of the permission obtained by the 4^th respondent on 15.03.2026 to conduct temple festival on 03.04.2026, they may be permitted to conduct temple festival on the same date. However, he submitted that 4^th respondent parties do not have any objection for the petitioner parties to conduct the temple festival in any other day as scheduled b