E.Kuppannan v. The Commissioner

ORDER This is a petition filed by the petitioner seeking a direction to the first respondent to consider his representation dated 26.2.2026 for making necessary arrangements to perform pongal festival to Thoppapatti Periyamariyamman Temple, Namakkal on par with others in view of the Page3 of 7 judgments of this Court in the case of Board of Trustees, Pottai Mariamman Temple Vs. Revenue Divisional Officer-cum-Executive Magistrate, Kallakurichi [reported in 2010 (4) MLJ 1077] and in the case of Selvaraj Vs. District Collector, Kanchipuram [reported in 2025 Supreme (OnLine) (Madras) 55578].

¶2Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner, the learned Additional Government Pleader accepting notice for respondents 1 to 3 and the learned Government Advocate (Criminal Side) accepting notice for the fourth respondent. In view of the limited nature of the relief this Court proposes to grant, notice to the fifth respondent is dispensed with and the writ petition itself is taken up for final disposal.

¶3The case of the petitioner is as follows:

(i) The petitioner claims to be a devotee of Periyamariyamman Temple, Thoppapatti Village and Post, Rasipuram Taluk, Namakkal District. The said temple comes under the High Religious and Charitable Endowments Department. The petitioner also claims to be belonging to a Page4 of 7 scheduled caste community whereas the fifth respondent belongs to backward community.

(ii) The fifth respondent along with others are preventing the scheduled caste people entering into the said temple and conducting pongal festival. Despite giving several complaints by a third party, no effective steps were taken to redress the grievance of the persons like the petitioner. The petitioner has been giving representations every year seeking for protection. Even for this year, the pongal festival is proposed to be conducted on 09.4.2026. Hence, seeking protection to conduct the festival, the petitioner sent a representation dated 26.2.2026. As it did not evoke any response, the petitioner is before this Court.

¶3When the matter is taken up for hearing, the learned Additional Government Pleader appearing for respondents 1 to 3 has produced a communication dated 01.4.2026 i.e. yesterday issued by the Executive Officer of the temple to the Special Government Pleader, HR & CE Department, High Court, Chennai with a copy to the Assistant Commissioner, HR & CE Department, Namakkal requesting to issue Page5 of 7 suitable directions to make arrangements to perform pongal festival in the said temple by all the general public on par with other temples. This is recorded.

¶4In the light of the above, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the first respondent to consider the representation of the petitioner dated 26.2.2026, make arrangements to perform pongal festival on 09.4.2026 to Thoppapatti Periyamariyamman Temple, by all the general public including the petitioner and pass appropriate orders at the earliest. No costs. 02-04-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order RLI Note: Issue order copy on 06.04.2026 Page6 of 7 To

¶1The Commissioner, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Board, No.119, Uthamar Gandhi Salai, Nungambakkam, Chennai.

¶2The Joint Commissioner Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Board, Salem & District.

¶3The Inspector Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Board, Namakkal and District.

¶4The Inspector of Police Namakiripettai Police Station, Nammakkal District. Page7 of 7

M.DHANDAPANI, J. RLI 02-04-2026

Page1 of 7 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 02-04-2026 CORAM THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI E.Kuppannan ...Petitioner(s) Vs 1. The Commissioner Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Board, No.119, Uthamar Gandhi Salai, Nungambakkam, Chennai. 2. The Joint Commissioner Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Board, Salem & District. 3. The Inspector, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Board, Namakkal & District. 4. The Inspector of Police Namakiripettai Police Station, Nammakkal District. 5. Ganapathy ...Respondent(s) Page2 of 7 PETITION under Article 226 of The Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus to direct the1st respondent to consider the representation dated 26.2.2026 given by the petitioner and to make necessary arrangements to perform Pongal festival to Thoppapatti Periyamariyamman Temple, Namakkal on par with others in view of the judgements rendered by this court in 2010 4 MLJ Page No.1077 [Board of Trustees, Pottai Mariamman Temple Vs. Revenue Divisional Officer- Cum-Executive Magistrate, Kallakurichi] and 2025 Supreme (Online) (Madras) Page No.55578 [Selvaraj Vs. District Collector, Kanchipuram]. For Petitioner(s): Mr.P.Vijendran For Respondent(s): Mr.S.Ravichandran, AGP for R1 to R3 Mr.V.Meghanathan, GA (Crl.Side) for R4