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2026 Supreme(Online)(Mad) 28371
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT
L. Victoria Gowri, J
J.Yoga Sanmugasundaram – Appellant
Versus
The District Collector – Respondent
W.P.(MD)No.10456 of 2024|W.M.P.(MD)No.9407 of 2024
For the Appellants/Petitioners: R. Paranjothi
For the Respondents: S. Ravi, M. Muthumanickam, VR. Shanmuganathan
Excommunicating any person from participating in a temple festival constitutes an act of discrimination and is prohibited.
Headnote:The petitioners filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking a mandamus to direct official respondents to take action against the sixth respondent for excommunicating the petitioners' family from the village and refusing to accept "Thalaikattu Vari" for the temple festival of Arulmighu Muthumari Amman. The court noted that while the specific festival for the year 2024 had already concluded, the underlying issue of exclusion remained. The primary issue was whether the act of excommunicating individuals from participating in a temple festival is legally permissible. The court reasoned that the "act of excommunicating any person from participating in temple festival would amount to discrimination" (Para 6). With the above direction, this writ petition stands disposed of.
| Table of Content |
|---|
| 1. allegations of excommunication and refusal of temple contributions by a self-styled village headman. (Para 1 , 2 , 3 , 4) |
| 2. excommunication from temple festivals is viewed as a discriminatory act. (Para 5 , 6) |
| 3. disposal of the petition with a permanent injunction against future excommunication. (Para 7) |
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W.P.(MD)No.10456 of 2024
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT
DATED : 03.03.2026
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE MRS.JUSTICE L.VICTORIA GOWRI
W.P.(MD)No.10456 of 2024
& W.M.P.(MD)No.9407 of 2024
1.J.Yoga Sanmugasundaram
2.S.Rengasamy
3.S.Subramanian ... Petitioners
Vs.
1. The District Collector ,
Collectorate,
Pudukkottai and District.
2. The Superintendent of Police,
Pudukkottai and District.
3. The Revenue Divisional Officer,
Revenue Divisional Office,
Pudukkottai and District.
4. The Thasildar,
Taluk Office,
Aranthangi Taluk,
Pudukkottai District.
5. The Inspector of Police,
Aranthangi Police Station,
Aranthangi Taluk,
Pudukkotai District.
6. Suresh
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##PAGE2##W.P.(MD)No.10456 of 2024
7. The Assistant Commissioner,
Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department,
Pudukkottai District. ... Respondents
(R7 is Suo Motu Impleaded Vide Order Dated.29.04.2024.) .
PRAYER : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for
issuance of Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 1 to 5 to take
appropriate action against the 6th respondent and his men for the
excommunicating the petitioners' family from the village and take steps to
receive “Thalaikattu Vari” from the petitioners' families for the temple festival
of Arulmighu Muthumari Amman and other temples situate in Pachalur village,
Kulathur Post, Aranthangi Taluk, Pudukkottai District for this year and also in
future, by considering the petitioners' representation dated 10.04.2024.
For Petitioners : Mr.R.Paranjothi
For Respondents : Mr.S.Ravi (R2 & R5)
Additional Public Prosecutor
Mr.M.Muthumanickam (R1, R3 & R4)
Government Advocate
Mr.VR.Shanmuganathan (R6)
ORDER
This writ petition has been filed seeking for a direction to the
respondents 1 to 5 to take appropriate action against the 6th respondent and his
men for excommunicating the petitioners' family from the village and take steps
to receive “Thalaikattu Vari” from the petitioners' family for the temple festival
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##PAGE3##W.P.(MD)No.10456 of 2024
of Arulmighu Muthumari Amman and other temples situate in Pachalur village,
Kulathur Post, Aranthangi Taluk, Pudukkottai District for this year and also in
future, by considering the petitioners' representation dated 10.04.2024.
2. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioners submitted that the
sixth respondent is the person, who had announced himself as a self styled
village headman and he had gone to the extent of excommunicating the
petitioners' family by not receiving Thalaikattu Vari from the petitioners' family
and in this regard, the petitioners have already made a representation dated
10.04.2024. However, the representation was not heeded to by the official
respondents. Hence, this petition came to be filed.
3. The learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for R2 & R5
submitted that already the temple festival is over and the representation is also
of the year 2024.
4. The learned counsel appearing for the sixth respondent submitted that
there is no excommunication at all. Due to indifference between two groups in
the temple administration, a peace committee meeting was conducted by the 3rd
respondent on 14.08.2023. Since no compromise was arrived between the two
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##PAGE4##W.P.(MD)No.10456 of 2024
groups during the said meeting, both the parties were directed to approach
appropriate Court of law seeking for further remedy.
5. Heard the learned counsel on either side and carefully perused the
materials available on record.
6. It is made clear that act of excommunica
