IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE E.V.VENUGOPAL Date: 11.03.2026 Between:

Sri Vigneshwara Sai dhamam, Uppuguda, Hyderabad.

...petitioner AND The State of Telangana, Rep. by its Principal Secretary, Home Department, Secretariat, Hyderabad and 4 others.

...respondents

ORDER

This Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, seeking the following relief/s:-

“..............to declare the inaction of the Respondent No. 4 in not issuing the permission to organize elephant procession from 25-03-2026 to 27-03-2026 on the eve of Sri Rama Navami and the 25^th year celebrations of the Sri Seetha Ramachandra Tiru Kalyanam to be performed by Sri Vigneshwara Sai Dhamam temple and not considering the Petitioner’s representations dated 18-12-2025 and 20-02-2026 is questioned as illegal, arbitrary, colorable exercise of power, abuse of process of law, abuse of power entrusted by law, abuse of official capacity and position and violative of Articles 14, 19 and 25 of the Constitution of India and consequently direct the Respondent No.2 to grant permission to the Petitioner to organize elephant procession from 25-03-2026 to 27-03-2026 on the eve of Sri Rama Navami and the 25th year celebrations of the Sri Seetha Ramachandra Tiru Kalyanam, to be performed by Sri Vigneshwara Sai Dhamam temple by considering the Petitioner representation dated 18-12-2025 and 20-02-2026, and pass such other orders.”

2. Heard Sri D. Vijaya Kumar, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri M. Srinivas, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home, appearing for the respondents. Perused the material available on record.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner-society is organizing the Sri Seetha Ramachandra Tiru Kalyanam on the occasion of Sri Rama Nivami every year. The petitioner-society is now celebrating 25^th year of the said Kalyanam, as such, the petitioner-society decided to conduct elephant procession from 25-03-2026 to 27-03-2026, within the vicinity of the petitioner temple and that on 27-03-2026, the procession will be conducted from Sri Vigneshwara Sai Dhamam Temple, Uppuguda to Sultan Bazar.

4. He would further submit that the petitioner-

society has made consistent representations dated 18-12-2025 and 20-02-2026 to obtain permission to conduct elephant procession during Sri Ramanavami festival. He would further submit that for the purpose of conducting such procession of elephant, the petitioner- society has approached the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Government of Telangana, Hyderabad, seeking permission of the same. But the said authority vide its proceedings in Rc. No.2/1/2022/WL-2, dated 29-01-2026, had returned the application of the petitioner stating that the following documents have to be furnished:

1. Consent letter of the Matt of the Elephant proposed agreeing to give elephant.

2. Ownership Certificate of the elephant issued by the concerned State CWW.

3. Latest Health Certificate issued by Veterinary Practitioner.

4. Police permission letter for elephant procession.

5. Undertaking letter to engage Veterinary Team from NZP, Hyderabad.

6. Form VI-Transport Permit from the concerned State Chief Wild Warden.

5. Thereafter, the petitioner-society has made detailed representation to the 2^nd respondent, but no action has been taken and the Sri Ramanavami festival will be conducted on 27-03-2026 and since only two weeks’ time is left over. Hence, he would seek to direct the 2^nd respondent to consider representation of the petitioner and to pass appropriate orders.

6. Sri M. Srinivas, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home, while opposing the same, would submit that granting permission for an elephant procession during the Sri Ramanavami festival is not a practice at the subject premises and that no such processions have been held within the jurisdiction of the 2nd respondent, who has the territorial authority to grant such permission. He further