Dismissed¶36

Sivachidambaram v. The Revenue Divisional Officer

Madras HC7 Apr 2026WP Crl./772/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Madras High Court; WP Crl. No. 772 of 2026; WPMP Crl. No. 252 of 2026; Sivachidambaram; Revenue Divisional Officer Mettur; Deputy Superintendent of Police Mettur; Inspector of Police Karumalaikoodal Police Station Salem; Article 226; Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus; temple festival permission; police protection; cultural programme night hours 09.04.2026; model code of conduct; general election; dismissed; liberty to renew request after election; M. Nirmal Kumar J.; 07-04-2026.

What did the court decide?

No permission granted; petitioner given liberty to renew his request after the general election; no costs imposed and connected miscellaneous petition (WPMP Crl. No. 252 of 2026) closed. ¶36

Sivachidambaram Vs The Revenue Divisional Officer — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

No permission granted; petitioner given liberty to renew his request after the general election; no costs imposed and connected miscellaneous petition (WPMP Crl. No. 252 of 2026) closed.

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Issue for consideration

Whether this Court should quash the impugned order of the second respondent rejecting permission, and direct respondents 1 to 3 to grant permission and police protection for the dance/cultural programme during the Arulmigu Sree Sakthi Mariyamman Temple festival at Poraiyur, Gonur Village, Mettur Taluk, scheduled for 09.04.2026 (6.00 pm to 10.00 pm), notwithstanding that the model code of conduct is in force owing to the upcoming general election.

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Court's answer

Since the general election to the assembly is being held, the election process is ongoing and the model code of conduct is in force, this Court holds that granting permission to conduct the cultural programme during the temple festival is not feasible at that time and sufficient police force will not be available during the programme, and accordingly finds some force in the learned Additional Public Prosecutor's submissions.

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Ratio / Principle

Finding no reason to interfere with the impugned order, this Court dismissed the writ petition, giving the petitioner liberty to renew his request after the general election; no costs were imposed and the connected miscellaneous petition was closed.

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Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Madras High Court (single judge, M. Nirmal Kumar J.; dated 07-04-2026) dismissed WP Crl. No. 772 of 2026 filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India by Sivachidambaram, which sought a Certiorarified Mandamus to quash the rejection order dated 29.03.2026 (Na.Ka.No.34/Tu.Kaa.Ka/Oliperukki/Mettur/2026) passed by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mettur, denying permission and police protection for a night-hours (6.00 pm–10.00 pm) dance/cultural programme during the Arulmigu Sree Sakthi Mariyamman Temple festival at Poraiyur, Gonur Village, Mettur Taluk, on 09.04.2026. The Court accepted the Additional Public Prosecutor's submissions that with the general election process underway and the model code of conduct in force, granting permission was not feasible and sufficient police force would be unavailable; accordingly it found no reason to interfere with the impugned order, dismissed the petition with liberty to the petitioner to renew his request after the general election, imposed no costs, and closed the connected WPMP Crl. No. 252 of 2026.

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WP Crl. No. 772 of 2026

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

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DATED: 07-04-2026

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CORAM

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THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE M. NIRMAL KUMAR

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WP Crl. No. 772 of 2026 AND WPMP CRL. NO. 252 OF 2026

Sivachidambaram

Petitioner

The Revenue Divisional Officer Mettur, Salem District.

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2.The Deputy Superintendent of Police Mettur, Salem District

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3.The Inspector Of Police Karumalaikoodal Police Station, Salem District.

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Respondents

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PRAYER

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This writ petition is preferred under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus or any other appropriate writ or order or direction in the nature of writ to call for the records pertaining to the impugned order passed by the 2nd respondent in Na.Ka.No.34/Tu.Kaa.Ka/Oliperukki/Mettur/2026 dated 29.03.2026 and quash the same and consequently direct the respondents No.1 to 3 to issue permission and provide police protection to conduct program in event of Arulmigu Sree Sakthi Mariyamman Temple festival at Poraiyur, Gonur Village, Mettur Taluk,

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1/5

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

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WP Crl. No. 772 of 2026

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Salem district on 09.04.2026 between 6.00 pm to 10.00 pm pursuant to the petitioner’s representation dated 24.03.2026 and pass such further or other orders as this Hon’ble Court may deem fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case and thus render justice.

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For Petitioner(s): Mr.C.Deepakkumar

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For Respondents: Mr.Leonard Arul Joseph Selvam, Addl. Public Prosecutor for RR2 and 3

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ORDER

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Challenging the impugned order passed by the second respondent rejecting petitioner’s request for granting permission to conduct cultural festival in the night hours on 09.04.2026 in connection with ‘Arulmighu Shree Sakthi Mariammal Temple’ festival in Poraiyur, the present writ petition has been preferred by the petitioner.

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2.Mr.C.Deepakkumar, learned counsel on record for the writ petitioner is

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before this court. The learned counsel contended that the reason given for rejection is that due to the upcoming election, the model code of conduct is in force and therefore, the permission cannot be granted. It is submitted by the learned counsel for the petitioner that the festival has been conducted regularly and it is only a dance cultural programme which will be conducted during the

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2/5

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

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WP Crl. No. 772 of 2026

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festival and there is no objection from any person and there is no complaint from any one. Further, the petitioner does not foresee any disturbance to the public and there will be no law and order problem. In such circumstances, apprehending disturbance to the law and order, rejecting the request of the petitioner to conduct the cultural programme in the festival is not proper.

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3.Mr.Leonard Arul Joseph Selvam, learned Additional Public Prosecutor who takes notice for respondents 2 and 3 submitted that due to the upcoming general election, the police is unable to divert its force from the election duty and further, the model code of conduct is in force and therefore, the permission cannot be granted. Further, the cultural programme will be held during night hours and that there will be disturbance to the public. It is further submitted that if the petitioner makes his request after the election, the same shall be considered favourably.

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4.This court considered the submissions made by both sides and finds

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some force in the submission made by the learned Additional Public Prosecution. It is to be noted that the general election is going to be held to the assembly and the election process is going on and that the model code of conduct is in force. At that time, granting permission to conduct the cultural programme during the temple festival will not be feasible and that sufficient

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3/5

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

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WP Crl. No. 772 of 2026

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police force will not be available during the programme. Therefore, this court finds no reason to interfere with the impugned order. Hence, this writ petition is dismissed, giving liberty to the petitioner to renew his request after the general

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election. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed.

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07-04-2026

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Index:Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order Internet:Yes Neutral Citation:Yes/No vvk

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1.The Revenue Divisional Officer Mettur, Salem.

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2.The Deputy Superintendent of Police Mettur, Salem.

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