Pr.Piraman Vs The Joint Commissioner — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2025)

Pr.Piraman Vs The Joint Commissioner — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Writ Petition disposed of at admission with directions: first honour for the 6th-day Mandagapadi (03.07.2025, 6.00 p.m.) conferred on the Naattaars of Kaanadukathan village with equal rights to the Naattaars of Nemathanpatti and Kaanadukathan villages; for ensuing festivals the fifth respondent to nominate persons and inform the third respondent; respondents 1 to 3 free to seek Police assistance. Connected Miscellaneous Petition (W.M.P(MD) No.13933 of 2025) closed. No costs.

Issue for consideration

Whether the 6th-day Mandagapadi honours at Arulmighu Soundaranayagi Ambal Sametha Kailasanatha Swamy Thirukovil could be conferred exclusively on one village's Naattaars, and how equal conferral between the Naattaars of Nemathanpatti and Kaanadukathan villages could be secured without causing a law and order problem. +1 more

Court's answer

For the 6th-day Mandagapadi of the festival held on 03.07.2025 at 6.00 p.m., the first honour shall be conferred on the Naattaars of Kaanadukathan village, recording the fair concession of learned counsel for the petitioner.

Ratio / Principle

Since conferring the first honour on a single village could lead to a law and order problem, the Naattaars of Nemathanpatti village and Kaanadukathan village were to be given equal rights in the conferral of honours.

Key takeaways

The order is confined to the 6th-day Mandagapadi of the festival held on the date of the order; for ensuing temple festivals, the fifth respondent (Pathinaaru Oor Palaya Naattar) shall nominate the persons and intimate the same to the third respondent to avoid last-minute confusion.ratio¶43
Respondents 1 to 3 are at liberty to take the assistance of the Police to ensure that no untoward incident occurs during the temple festival.ratio¶43

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Mandamus (Article 226, Constitution of India) — temple honours dispute — Arulmighu Soundaranayagi Ambal Sametha Kailasanatha Swamy Thirukovil (also called Kanaadukaathan Periya Kovil), located between Nemathanpatti and Kaanadukathan villages, Sivagangai District — petitioner PR.Piraman apprehended that honours for the 6th-day Mandahapadi/Mandagapadi (festival begun 28.06.2025) would be conferred exclusively on one village's Naattaars although fees had been collected from both villagers — invitation initially named Kaanadukathan Naattaars but was altered on representation — Writ Petition disposed of at admission after recording instructions: first honour conferred on Naattaars of Kaanadukathan village (conceded by petitioner's counsel), with Naattaars of Nemathanpatti and Kaanadukathan villages given equal rights to avoid a law and order problem; order confined to that day's 6th-day Mandagapadi; for ensuing festivals the fifth respondent (Pathinaaru Oor Palaya Naattar) to nominate persons and intimate the third respondent (Sivagangai Samasthaanam); respondents 1 to 3 (HR and CE officials) at liberty to take Police assistance; connected W.M.P(MD) No.13933 of 2025 closed; no costs. (Coram: C. Saravanan, J.)

W.P.(MD).No.18178 of 2025

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

DATED : 03.07.2025

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE C.SARAVANAN

W.P(MD) No.18178 of 2025 and W.M.P(MD) No.13933 of 2025

PR.Piraman ... Petitioner

Vs.

1.The Joint Commissioner, HR and CE, Sivagangai.

2.The Assistant Commissioner, HR and CE, Sivagangai.

3.The Sivagangai Samasthaanam,

through its Manager, Sivagangai.

4.Al.Venkatachalam Chettiar,

Arulmighu Soundaranayagi Ambal Sametha Kailasanatha Swamy, Thirukovil, Kanadukaathan - Nemathanpatti Village, Sivagangai District.

5.Pathinaaru Oor Palaya Naattar, Through Their Naattu Servai Thiru Rm.Thiruvudayan Servai Pallathur Village Sivagangai District.

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W.P.(MD).No.18178 of 2025

6.Kanadukaathaan Nattar,

Through Their Trustee C.Lakshmanan Son of Chockalingam Kanadukaathaan Village, Sivagangai District. ...Respondents

Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 1 to 3 herein to ensure that the religious practice and performance of Mandahapadi and conferring of honours and privileges on the 6^th day festival of Arulmighu

Soundaranayagi Ambal Sametha Kailasanatha Swamy Thirukovil, Kanadukaathan - Nemathanpatti village, Sivagangai District, also called as Kanaadukaathan Periya Kovil, is scrupulously followed and without any deviation by conferring such honour or privilege on any one exclusively or otherwise.

For Petitioner : Mr.V.R.Shanmuganathan

For R1 & R2 : Mr.SS.Madhavan Additional Government Pleader For R3 : Mr.S.Manohar Standing Counsel

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W.P.(MD).No.18178 of 2025

ORDER

This Writ Petition is disposed of at the time of admission after hearing

the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned counsel for the respondent Nos.1 and 2 and the learned counsel for the respondent No.3.

The petitioner is before this Court apprehending that the respondents may not confer the honours to the members of Nemathanpatti Naattars, Sivagangai in a temple festival, which started on 28.06.2025. It is submitted that the subject temple namely Arulmighu Soundaranayagi Ambal Sametha Kailasanatha Swamy Thirukovil, is located between Nemathanpatti village and Kaanadukathan village, Sivagangai District.

It is submitted that the respondent Nos.3 to 6 have also collected necessary fees for 6^th day Mandagapadi for the festival to be held today in the evening 6.00 p.m. Further, in the invitation clearly it is stated that 6^th day of Mandagapadi may be conferred by Nattaars of Kaanadukathan village. However, upon representation, they have reverted to the past practice, without making any reference to the village.

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W.P.(MD).No.18178 of 2025

It is submitted that since the amount has been collected from both villagers, it is quite possible that the rights may be conferred solely on the fourth respondent, to the exclusion of the fifth respondent.

The learned counsel for the third respondent clearly submits that normally decisions has to be taken by the fifth respondent, who is the head for all the sixteen villagers.

Since the temple festival is to be held today at 6.00 p.m., this Writ Petition is disposed of after recording necessary instructions received and after hearing the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned counsel for the respondent No.1 and 2 and the learned counsel for the respondent No.3 and in the presence of Superintendent of third respondent. It is informed that if the first honours conferred to one of the village, it could possibly lead to law and order problem. Therefore, it is suggested that the Naattaars of Nemathanpatti village and Kaanadukathan village will be given equal rights.

The learned counsel for the petitioner would fairly concedes that first honours can be conferred to Naattaars of Kaanadukathan village.

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W.P.(MD).No.18178 of 2025

Recording the submission of learned counsel for the petitioner, the first honour shall be conferred to the Naattaars of Kaanadukathan village. Further, this order is applicable only for 6^th day Madagapadi of festival, which is to be held today at 6.00 p.m. For ensuing the temple festival, the fifth respondent shall nominate the persons and intimate the same to the third respondent. So that, there is no scope confusion in the last minute. The respondent Nos.1 to 3 are at liberty to take assistance of the Police to ensure that no untoward incident occurs during the temple festival.

With the above direction, this Writ Petition is disposed of. Consequently, connected Miscellaneous Petition is closed. No costs.

03.07.2025

NCC : Yes / No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes / No

Indu

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W.P.(MD).No.18178 of 2025

C.SARAVANAN, J.

Indu

To

1.The Joint Commissioner, HR and CE, Sivagangai.

2.The Assistant Commissioner, HR and CE, Sivagangai.

W.P(MD).No.18178 of 2025

03.07.2025

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