Thyagarajan Vs the Commissioner — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2025)

Thyagarajan Vs the Commissioner — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

No substantive judicial relief ordered. The Court recorded the Additional Government Pleader's submission that the second respondent (Joint Commissioner, HR&CE, Thanjavore) will address the petitioner's allegations and complaints in a manner known to law, and disposed of the writ petition with no costs.

Issue for consideration

Whether the first respondent should be directed, by way of a writ of mandamus under Article 226, to dispose of the petitioner's representation dated 14.11.2025 (concerning the sixth respondent's alleged control and mismanagement of Arulmigu Angalamman Parameshwari Aalayam) within a stipulated time prescribed by the Court.

Court's answer

Recording the learned Additional Government Pleader's submission that the petitioner's representation is of recent origin and that the second respondent will address the petitioner's allegations and complaints in a manner known to law, the Court disposed of the writ petition, awarding no costs.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Madras High Court (Justice P.B. Balaji), W.P.No.47117 of 2025, disposed 04.12.2025, no costs. Thyagarajan, an agriculturist of Archudhan Pettai, Sannanallur Post, Nannilam Taluk, Tiruvarur District, alleged that Kandhan, the sixth respondent, claiming to be the hereditary Priest of Arulmigu Angalamman Parameshwari Aalayam — a temple the petitioner says local villagers established decades back by collective contribution of money and labour, where daily poojas are conducted and festivals have been celebrated for years — has taken control of the temple, misappropriated income and taken unilateral decisions prejudicial to the temple's interest. Having given a representation to respondents 1 to 5 on 14.11.2025, the petitioner sought a writ of mandamus under Article 226 directing the first respondent (Commissioner, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowment Board, Chennai) to dispose of that representation within a stipulated time prescribed by the Court. Notice to the private respondent was dispensed with considering the limited relief, and with consent of counsel on both sides the main petition was taken up for final disposal. Recording the Additional Government Pleader's submission that the representation was of recent origin and that the second respondent (Joint Commissioner, HR&CE, Thanjavore) would address the petitioner's allegations and complaints in a manner known to law, the Court disposed of the writ petition. No precedent was engaged and no substantive judicial determination was made.

W.P.No.47117 of 2025

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 04.12.2025

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE P.B. BALAJI

W.P.No.47117 of 202 5

Thyagarajan

... Petitioner

Vs.

The Commissioner, Hindu Religiious & Charitable Endowment Board, No.119, Uthamar Gandhi Salai, 1000 lights, Nungambakkam, Chennai-600 034.

The Joint Commissioner, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowment, Thanjavore, Thanjavore District.

The Assistant Commissioner, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowment, Tiruvarur, Tiruvaur District.

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W.P.No.47117 of 2025

4. The District Collector,

Thiruvarur, Thiruvarur District.

The Thasildarm Nannilam, Nannilam Taluk, Tiruvarur, Tiruvarur District.

Kandhan ... Respondents

Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying this Court to issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the 1st respondent herein to dispose the petitioner’s representation dated 14.11.2025 within the stipulated time prescribed by this Court by taking the Arulmigu Angalamman Parameshwari Aalayam situated at Archudhan Pettai,Sannanallur Post, Nannillam Taluk, Tiruvarur District.

For Petitioner : Mr.M.Rajkkumar

For Respondents : Mr.S.Ravichandran AGP For R.1 to R.3 Mr.M.Murali

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W.P.No.47117 of 2025

Govt.Advocate For R.4 and R.5

ORDER

Heard Mr.M.Rajkumar, learned counsel for the petitioner and

Mr.S.Ravichandran, learned Additional Government Pleader for the respondents 1 to 3 and Mr.M.Murali, learned Government Advocate for the

respondents 4 and 5.

Considering the limited relief sought for in this writ petition, I am

inclined to dispense with notice to the private respondent. With the consent

of the counsel on both sides, the main writ petition is taken up for final

disposal.

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W.P.No.47117 of 2025

The petitioner, claiming to be an agriculturist from Archudhan

Pettai, Sannanallur Post, Nannilam Taluk, Tiruvarur District, has sought for

issuance of a writ of mandamus to direct the authorities to take action against the sixth respondent, who is the hereditary Priest of the Arulmigu Angalamman Parameshwari Aalayam.

According to the petitioner, the Temple has been established several

decades back by local villagers, through collective contribution of their hard earned money and labour. The daily poojas are being conducted and festivals

were also being celebrated for years together by the villagers. The allegation of the petitioner is that the sixth respondent, claiming to be the hereditary Priest has taken control of the Temple and in the process has also, misappropriated income, besides taking unilateral decisions, which is prejudicial to the interest of the temple. The petitioner has given a 4/8

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W.P.No.47117 of 2025

representation to the respondents 1 to 5 on 14.11.2025 and thereafter, he has

filed the present writ petition.

Mr.S.Ravichandran, learned Additional Government Pleader would

submit that the said representation is of recent origin and the second

respondent will address the allegation and complaints of the petitioner in a

manner know to law.

Recording the submission of the learned Additional Government

Pleader, the writ petition is disposed of. No costs.

04.12.2025

Neutral Citation: Yes/No 5/8

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W.P.No.47117 of 2025

Speaking Order/Non-speaking Order Index : Yes / No

sr

To

The Commissioner, Hindu Religiious & Charitable Endowment Board, No.119, Uthamar Gandhi Salai, 1000 lights, Nungambakkam, Chennai-600 034.

The Joint Commissioner, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowment, Thanjavore, Thanjavore District.

The Assistant Commissioner, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowment, Tiruvarur, Tiruvaur District.

The District Collector, Thiruvarur, Thiruvarur District.

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W.P.No.47117 of 2025

The Thasildarm Nannilam, Nannilam Taluk, Tiruvarur, Tiruvarur District

P.B.BALAJI.,J

sr

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W.P.No.47117 of 2025

04.12.2025

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