Pending temple administration disputes preclude granting festival management rights; participation remains open to all claimants without prejudice to final adjudication.

Headnote:Statute Analysis: The petitioner sought a writ of mandamus directing the second respondent to grant permission to use a loudspeaker during a temple festival and to allow all communities to participate in its celebration. Facts: The subject temple is claimed to be exclusively administered by the Kulalar community. A prior writ petition filed by the third respondent (W.P.(MD) No.2002 of 2026) is pending. Earlier proceedings, including a Division Bench order in W.P.(MD) No.28452 of 2024, directed consideration of representations. The second respondent passed an impugned order to constitute a committee without notice to the petitioner, prompting the present petition. Findings: The Court observed that since the dispute regarding temple administration is pending, the petitioner cannot claim any right over the temple’s management nor be granted permission to conduct the festival, though he may participate.

Issues: Whether the petitioner, who is involved in a pending dispute over temple administration, can be granted permission to use a loudspeaker and conduct the temple festival.

Ratio Decidendi: The Court reasoned that until the rights of the parties regarding temple administration are decided, no party should be granted permission to conduct or manage the festival, limiting rights to participation alone.

Result: The petition is disposed of with clarification that the petitioner is permitted only to participate in the festival, while the third respondent shall solely arrange it. No costs.

Table of Content
1. pending writ petition by third respondent affects current petition. (Para 1 , 2 , 3)
2. dispute over temple administration prevents festival permission. (Para 4)
3. petition disposed subject to participation only for petitioner. (Para 5)

ORDER

The present Writ Petition is filed for Mandamus, directing the 2^nd respondent to grant permission for using a loudspeaker and to permit all communities to participate in celebrating the Chithirai Thiruvizha scheduled to be held from 13.05.2026 to 15.05.2026 at Arulmigu Shri Kaliamman Thirukovil, S.V. Mangalam, Paramakudi Taluk, Ramanathapuram District. 2. Regarding temple festival, the third respondent has already filed a Writ Petition in W.P.(MD) No.2002 of 2026. This Court, vide order dated 29.01.2026, has passed an order and the relevant portion is extracted hereunder:

3.Learned Counsel for the petitioner would submit that the subject temple is exclusively a community temple, being maintained and administered by the Kulalar community. While that being so, some of the Yadavar community people claimed right over the temple and filed a Writ Petition in W.P. (MD)No.28452 of 2024 before the Division Bench of this Court. The Division Bench by its order dated 28.11.2024, disposed of the Writ Petition with a direction to the respondents to consider the petitioner's representation therein. Pursuant to the said order, the second respondent has passed the impugned order dated 26.12.2025, directing constitution of a committee for the temple without issuing notice to the petitioner herein, which is arbitrary. Hence, the present Writ Petition.

4.The members of the petitioner community have been in the administration of the temple, as the temple is a private temple. Thus, passing an order without notice to the petitioner community who is presently in the administration of the temple will lead to unnecessary dispute among the community people. Therefore, there shall be an order of interim stay of the impugned order dated 26.12.2025.

3. The said Writ Petition is still pending. In the meanwhile, the petitioner has filed the present Writ Petition claiming that he should be permitted to participate in the festival by using a loudspeaker. Admittedly, there is a dispute between the petitioner and the third respondent regarding the administration of the temple, which is pending before this Court in W.P.(MD) No.2002 of 2026.

4. In these circumstances, the petitioner cannot be permitted to claim any right over the temple administration, nor he can be granted permission to conduct the festival. However, he is permitted only to participate in the festival. The third respondent is at liberty to arrange the festival. The petitioner shall not claim any right to arrange the festival. Therefore, the petitioner's prayer to use a loudspeaker is declined. All arrangements shall be made by the third respondent alone and the petitioner shall not participate in the festival. The rights of the parties regarding the administration of the temple shall be decided in the pending litigation.

5. With this clarification, this Writ Petition is disposed of. No costs.

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2026 Supreme(Online)(Mad) 39766

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS,V.Pandi – AppellantVersusThe State of Tamilnadu – RespondentW.P.(MD) No.2002 of 2026 | W.P.(MD) No.28452 of 2024

Pending temple administration disputes preclude granting festival management rights; participation remains open to all claimants without prejudice to final adjudication.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
,
V.Pandi – Appellant
Versus
The State of Tamilnadu – Respondent
W.P.(MD) No.2002 of 2026 | W.P.(MD) No.28452 of 2024