Court directs peace committee to resolve temple priest dispute and ensure inclusive festival participation without excommunication.

To issue a Writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate Writ, or order or direction, more in the form of Writ, direct the respondents 1 to 6 to permit the petitioner to do pooja (Sami Aaduthal and Kuri Solluthal) in the above said temple namely Arulmigu Sree Pathala Kaliamman Kovil, at Kadaladi Village, Kadaladi Taluk, Ramanathapuram District, in the temple festival scheduled to be held on 14.04.2026 to 21.04.2026 and consequently direct the respondents 2 and 5 to provide necessary police protection to the petitioner and 120 family members for offering worship in the temple.

For Petitioner : Mr. S.Gokulraj, Advocate.

For Respondent : Mr.M.Sakthi Kumar for R1 to R6 Government Advocate (Crl.Side)

Mr.R.Manickkam for R7 to R9

ORDER

This Writ Petition is filed seeking to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 1 to 6 to permit the petitioner to do pooja (Sami Aaduthal and Kuri Solluthal) in the above said temple namely Arulmigu Sree Pathala Kaliamman Kovil, at Kadaladi Village, Kadaladi Taluk, Ramanathapuram District, in the temple festival scheduled to be held on 14.04.2026 to 21.04.2026 and consequently direct the respondents 2 and 5 to provide necessary police protection to the petitioner and 120 family members for offering worship in the temple.

2. The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that he is the Poojari of the temple, namely Arulmigu Sree Pathala Kaliamman Kovil, at Kadaladi Village, Kadaladi Taluk, Ramanathapuram District, which belongs to 7 villagers, namely Kannan Paduvan, Sirukudi, Pookulam, Oorivayal, Karunkulam, Kolikulam and Kolunthurai. Every Tamil month of Chithirai, Chitrai festival would be conducted by the villagers of all the seven villages for 7 days and the same is scheduled to be held from 14.04.2026 to 21.04.2026. The petitioner's father namely Ramaswamy, son of Veeraputhiran was the temple poojari for the past 30 years and he passed away on 06.01.2026. Since his demise, the petitioner had taken the role of Poojari of the temple following the customs of Kurisolluthal and Sami Aaduthal.

3. While so, the private respondents residing in other villages, more particularly 7 to 9th respondents, are hindering the petitioner from continuing his Poojariship and also excommunicated 120 family members belonging to Scheduled Caste community from participating in the scheduled temple festival, including the petitioner. In this regard, on 06.04.2026, the petitioner made a representation to the official respondents 1 to 6 to permit the petitioner to do pooja in the temple and also to facilitate the excommunicated 120 family members to participate in the said temple festival. Since the same is not considered, this petition is filed.

4. The learned Government Advocate drew my attention to the order passed by this Court in WP Crl(MD) No.1705 of 2026, filed by one Kalicharan in which this Court had directed the Revenue Authority to conduct a peace committee and thereafter facilitate the commencement of the scheduled temple festival. Since already an order has been passed in this regard by this Court in WP Crl(MD) No.1705 of 2026, this writ petition is also filed for a similar relief with respect to the same temple.

5. In view of the submissions made by either side, the third respondent is directed to conclude the peace committee between the petitioner faction and the 7th to 9th respondent faction before

12.04.2026.

6. The learned counsel for the private respondents 7 to 9 categorically contended that there is no question of excommunicating any person from participating in the temple festival and the petitioner's narrative as if the private respondents have excommunicated 120 families from participating in the temple festival, is absolutely false and they will not hinder any p