Disposed¶34

A.Rengasamy v. The State of Tamilnadu

Madras HC18 Feb 2026WP Crl.(MD)/592/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Temple festival permission; police protection; writ of mandamus; Article 226 Constitution of India; Malai Kumbiduthal Nigalchi (Gathering for Worship); Masi festival; Arulmigu Sri Jakkammal, Sri Mallaiyan and Sri Mariamman Temple; North Mettupatti; Velliyanai; Karur District; earlier restraint order in W.P.(MD).No.13845 of 2025 dated 03.06.2025; civil suit O.S.No.303 of 2024 District Munsif Court Karur; law and order; cattle/bullock gatherings restrained; individual worship permitted; writ petition disposed.

What did the court decide?

Writ petition disposed of with clarification: permission to conduct Malai Kumbiduthal Nigalchi/festival gatherings was refused and gatherings involving cattle restrained; however, all parties may enter the temple for individual worship. No order as to costs. ¶34

A.Rengasamy Vs The State of Tamilnadu — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioner is entitled to a writ of mandamus directing respondents 1 and 2 to grant permission and adequate police protection to conduct Malai Kumbiduthal Nigalchi (Gathering for Worship) during the Masi festival at Arulmigu Sri Jakkammal, Sri Mallaiyan and Sri Mariamman Temple, North Mettupatti, Karur District. +1 more

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Ratio / Principle

The request to conduct Malai Kumbiduthal Nigalchi (Gathering for Worship) is in the nature of a festival and, given the existing civil dispute and the earlier restraint on temple festivals due to law and order concerns, cannot be permitted.

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Key takeaways

In order to prevent any breach of peace, the Court restrained the conduct of gatherings involving cattle (devotees gathering in large numbers with bullocks and cows) at the temple during the said function.ratio¶32
All parties are entitled to enter the temple for the purpose of individual worship; any person may visit the temple, offer prayers peacefully, and leave the premises without organising any festival or gathering.ratio¶32

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Madras High Court, Madurai Bench (S. Srimathy, J.) disposed of a writ petition under Article 226 seeking a mandamus to the Superintendent of Police and the Inspector of Police, Karur District, for permission and police protection to conduct 'Malai Kumbiduthal Nigalchi' (Gathering for Worship) during the Tamil month Masi festival at Arulmigu Sri Jakkammal, Sri Mallaiyan and Sri Mariamman Temple, North Mettupatti, Velliyanai Thenpagam Village, Karur District, on the schedule dated 28.02.2026 to 03.03.2026. Noting that a rival group member (K.Manivannan) had earlier obtained an order in W.P.(MD).No.13845 of 2025 dated 03.06.2025 restraining all parties from conducting any temple festival until disposal of O.S.No.303 of 2024 on the file of the District Munsif Court, Karur, owing to a civil dispute and apprehended law and order problems (daily prayers alone being permitted), the Court held that the requested gathering is in the nature of a festival and cannot be permitted. The Court restrained gatherings involving cattle at the temple to prevent breach of peace, but clarified that all parties may enter the temple for individual worship, offer prayers peacefully and leave without organising any festival or gathering. Disposed of with no order as to costs.

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WP CRL.(MD). No.592 of 2026

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BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

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Dated : 18.02.2026

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CORAM

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THE HONOURABLE MRS. JUSTICE S.SRIMATHY

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W.P.CRL.(MD). No.592 of 2026

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A.Rengasamy ... Petitioner

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1.The Superintendent of Police, Office of the Superintendent of Police, Karur District.

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2.The Inspector of Police, Velliyanai Police Station, Velliyanai, Karur District.

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3.Manivannan

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4.V.Mallamanaicker ... Respondents

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PRAYER :- Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the 1 and 2nd Respondent herein to grant permissions and adequate police protection to conduct Malai Kumbiduthal Nigalchi (Gathering for Worship) in Arulmigu Sri Jakkammal, Sri Mallaiyan and Sri Mariamman Temple during in the Tamil month of Masi Festival situated at North Mettupatti,

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

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WP CRL.(MD). No.592 of 2026

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Velliyanai Thenpagam Village, Karur District as per the schedule dated 28.02.2026, 01.03.2026, 02.03.2026 and 03.03.2026 by considering the petitioner's representation dated 27.01.2026 and for other reliefs.

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For Petitioner : Mr.D.S.Haroon Rasheed For R1 & R2 : Mr.A.S.Abul Kalaam Azad, Government Advocate (Criminal Side) For R3 & R4 : Mr.S.Ramasamy, for Mr.R.Alagusamy

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ORDER

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The present Writ Petition has been filed seeking issuance of a Writ

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of Mandamus directing the first and second respondents to grant permission and provide adequate police protection for conducting Malai Kumbiduthal Nigalchi (Gathering for Worship) in Arulmigu Sri Jakkammal, Sri Mallaiyan and Sri Mariamman Temple, during the Tamil month of Masi festival, situated at North Mettupatti, Velliyanai Thenpagam Village, Karur District, based on the petitioner’s representation dated 27.01.2026.

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It is brought to the notice of this Court that a writ petition was earlier filed by a rival group, namely K.Manivannan, in W.P.(MD).No.

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

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WP CRL.(MD). No.592 of 2026

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13845 of 2025, and by order dated 03.06.2025, this Court had restrained the parties from conducting any temple festival in view of the existing civil dispute and the apprehended law and order issues. Paragraph No.4 of the said order reads as follows:

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“ 4.Considering the rival submissions, this Court is of the considered opinion that since law and order problem is involved in the present case, based on the resolution passed in the peace committee meeting, the official respondents are directed to restrain the private respondents 5 to 11 and also the petitioner from conducting any temple festival until the disposal of the suit in O.S.No.303 of 2024 on the file of the District Munsif Court, Karur. However, it is made clear that the daily prayers can go on.”

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3. When there exists a civil dispute between the rival groups and there is a likelihood of law and order problems, this Court has already restrained the conduct of any temple festival. The present request to conduct Malai Kumbiduthal Nigalchi (Gathering for Worship) is in the nature of a festival and, therefore, the same cannot be permitted. Further, it is submitted that during the said function, devotees would gather in large numbers and bring bullocks and cows to the temple premises. In

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

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WP CRL.(MD). No.592 of 2026

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order to prevent any breach of peace, this Court restrains the conduct of such gathering involving cattle. However, it is made clear that all parties are entitled to enter the temple for the purpose of individual worship. Any person may visit the temple, offer prayers peacefully, and leave the premises without organising any festival or gathering.

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4. With the above clarification, this Writ Petition Criminal stands

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