Dismissed¶44

S. Venkadasalaapthy v. U. Kasiraj

Madras HC25 Mar 2026WA(MD)/413/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Temple festival committee dispute — writ appeal dismissed; Single Judge order granting liberty to all groups to form joint committee and conduct festival stands; rival groups must establish rights in civil proceedings, cannot demand committee as of right in writ petition; police free to act on law and order in accordance with law; Arulmigu Sri Kaliyamman Temple, Vembakottai Taluk / Viruthunagar District; committee of Revenue, Police and HR & CE officials sought; Clause 15 Letters Patent; W.A(MD)No.413 of 2026, decided 25.03.2026, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court; connected C.M.P(MD)No.3784 of 2026 closed.

What did the court decide?

None to the appellants; the Writ Appeal was dismissed with no costs and the connected Miscellaneous Petition (C.M.P(MD)No.3784 of 2026) was closed. ¶44

S. Venkadasalaapthy Vs U. Kasiraj — Madras HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

None to the appellants; the Writ Appeal was dismissed with no costs and the connected Miscellaneous Petition (C.M.P(MD)No.3784 of 2026) was closed.

¶44

Issue for consideration

Whether the Writ Appeal preferred by respondents 6 and 7 against the learned Single Judge's order granting liberty to all groups to form a committee and conduct the festival merits interference. +1 more

¶28

Court's answer

On the maintenance of law and order, it is open to the police authorities to take necessary action in accordance with law.

¶40

Ratio / Principle

Where two groups are not willing to jointly form a committee and conduct the festival peacefully, it is open to them to establish their respective rights by filing appropriate civil proceedings in the manner known to law; as a matter of right, they cannot seek such relief in a writ petition.

¶40

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Division Bench (N. Sathish Kumar and M. Jothiraman, JJ.; judgment by N. Sathish Kumar, J.), Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, 25.03.2026, W.A(MD)No.413 of 2026 (with C.M.P(MD)No.3784 of 2026) under Clause 15 of Letters Patent: appellants (respondents 6 and 7 in the writ petition) challenged the Single Judge's order dated 17.02.2026 in W.P(MD)No.8882 of 2024, which disposed of a writ petition seeking constitution of a committee drawn from the Revenue Department, Police Department and HR & CE Department to regulate and ensure peaceful conduct of time-bound poojas, maintenance and festivals of Arulmigu Sri Kaliyamman Temple, amid a dispute between two village groups; the Single Judge had granted liberty to all groups to form a committee and conduct the festival peacefully, with police protection directed. Held: it is an admitted fact that a dispute exists between the parties over conduct of poojas and festival; if both groups are unwilling to jointly form a committee and conduct the festival peacefully, it is open to them to establish their respective rights by filing appropriate civil proceedings in the manner known to law — as a matter of right such relief cannot be sought in a writ petition; on maintenance of law and order, police authorities may take necessary action in accordance with law. Finding no merit in the Writ Appeal, the Bench dismissed it with no costs and closed the connected Miscellaneous Petition.

¶1

W.A(MD)No.413 of 2026

¶2

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

¶3

DATED : 25.03.2026

¶4

CORAM:

¶5

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE N.SATHISH KUMAR and THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.JOTHIRAMAN

¶6

W.A(MD)No.413 of 2026 and C.M.P(MD)No.3784 of 2026

¶7

1.S.Venkadasalapathy

¶8

2.S.Navaneethakrishnan ... Appellants/Respondents 6 & 7

¶9

vs.

¶10

1.U.Kasiraj

¶11

... 1^st Respondent/Writ Petitioner

¶12

2.The District Collector, Office of the District Collector, Viruthunagar, Virudhunagar District.

¶13

3.The Superintendent of Police, Office of the Superintendent of Police, Viruthunagar, Viruthunagar District.

¶14

4.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Office of the Revenue Divisional Office, Sattur Revenue Circle, Viruthunagar District.

¶15

1/6

¶16

https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

¶17

5.The Tahsildar, Office of the Tashildar Office, Vembakottai Taluk, Viruthunagar District.

¶18

W.A(MD)No.413 of 2026

¶19

6.The Inspector of Police, Keelarasakularaman Police Station, Viruthunagar District. ... Respondents 2 to 6/Respondents 1 to 5

¶20

PRAYER : Writ Appeal filed under Clause 15 of Letters Patent to set aside the order dated 17.02.2026 made in W.P(MD)No.8882 of 2024 on the file of this Court.

¶21

For Appellants : Mr.S.Kadarkarai For Respondents : Mr.S.Malaikani (R1) : Mr.S.P.Maharajan (R2, R4 & R5) Standing Counsel : Mr.K.Sanjay Gandhi (R3 & R6) Government Advocate (Crl. Side)

¶22

JUDGMENT

¶23

[Judgment of the Court was made by N.SATHISH KUMAR, J.)

¶24

Challenging the order passed by the learned Single Judge in W.P.(MD)No.8882 of 2024, dated 17.02.2026, whereby the writ petition was

¶25

2/6

¶26

https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

¶27

W.A(MD)No.413 of 2026

¶28

disposed of by granting liberty to all groups to form a committee and conduct the festival, respondents 6 and 7, as appellants, have preferred the present Writ Appeal.

¶29

2.The writ petition was filed seeking constitution of a committee

¶30

comprising members from the Revenue Department, Police Department, and HR & CE Department, to regulate and ensure the peaceful conduct of time-bound poojas, maintenance, and festivals of Arulmigu Sri Kaliyamman Temple.

¶31

3.There exists a dispute between two groups in the village with

¶32

regard to the conduct of the festival.

¶33

4.The learned Single Judge, taking into consideration the above circumstances, disposed of the writ petition by observing that all groups may come together to form a committee and conduct the festival peacefully, and granted liberty to that effect. Police protection was also directed to be

¶34

3/6

¶35

https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

¶36

W.A(MD)No.413 of 2026

¶37

provided. Challenging the said order, respondents 6 and 7 have filed the present Writ Appeal.

¶38

5.Heard the learned counsel appearing on either side and perused

¶39

the materials available on record.

¶40

6.It is an admitted fact that there exists a dispute between the parties with regard to the conduct of poojas and festival. If both groups are not willing to jointly form a committee and conduct the festival peacefully, it is open to them to establish their respective rights by filing appropriate civil proceedings in the manner known to law. As a matter of right, they cannot seek such relief in a writ petition. Therefore, we do not find any merit in the present Writ Appeal. Insofar as maintenance of law and order is concerned, it is open to the police authorities to take necessary action in accordance with law.

¶41

4/6

¶42

https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

¶43

W.A(MD)No.413 of 2026

¶44

7.Accordingly, the Writ Appeal is dismissed. No costs.

¶45

Consequently, the connected Miscellaneous Petition is closed.

¶46

[N.S.K.,J.] [M.J.R.,J.] 25.03.2026