A. Parsanna Priya v. The District Collector

ORDER Seeking to direct the respondents 1 and 2 to accord permission and consequently direct the 3rd respondent to provide adequate police protection to celebrate the Panguni Pongal to be held during the third week of panguni in tamil year by all the villagers without any gender discrimination to the village temples namely Arulmigu Sri Muturaman Kaladi Swamy, Ruthrakariamman, Karuppanasamy Ayyanar, Sri Sorazhagi Amman and Sri Mandhamman situated within same campus at Muthaneri village, Narikudi post, Thiruchuli Taluk, Virudhunagar District, based on the agreement arrived at on

06.04.2025 in the peace committee meeting in the presence of the 3rd respondent and based on the representation submitted by the petitioner and other female descendents dated 28.03.2025, this writ petition is filed.

¶2Since no adverse order is proposed to be passed as against the respondents 4 to 7, notice to the respondents 4 to 7 is dispensed with.

¶3The claim of the petitioner is that the female descendants of certain families are not permitted to participate in the temple festivals of the temples mentioned supra. In fact, the female descendants are bound to pay the contribution to the temple festival, and Thalakattuvari also ought to have been collected from them every year. However, the respondents 4 to 6, and their henchmen did not permit the female descendants to participate as members and receive Thalakattuvari and to perform offerings and other prayers. In this regard, already a peace committee was convened, and an agreement was arrived at in the presence of the 3rd respondent on

06.04.2025.

¶4The learned Government Advocate submitted that the temple was managed by four different groups, namely, Kariya Vagairah, Meletheru, Keelatheru, and Therku Theru Vagairah. The petitioner herein are those women from those families who have given their daughters in marriage in any one of the Vagairah as mentioned supra. However, in the Peace Committee, it is resolved to permit them to participate in the festival along with the families to whom they were given in marriage. It is interesting to mention that it is a Sammanthakarars of the women given in marriage to the above-said four Vagairah who are claiming right to participate in the temple festival. It is already resolved in such a way as to permit them to participate along with the families where they have given their daughters.

¶5Heard the learned counsels on either side and carefully perused the materials available on record.

¶6In view of the agreement already arrived at between the rival parties on 06.04.2025, the petitioner and the rival parties are directed to participate in the function in terms of the agreement arrived at between the parties on 06.04.2025.

¶7With the above directions, this writ petition is disposed of.

18.03.2026 NCC : Yes / No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes/ No Sml To

1.The District Collector, Collectorate Campus, Virudhunagar, Virudhunagar District.

2.The Tahsildar, Taluk Office, Thiruchuli Taluk, Virudhunagar District.

3.The Sub Inspector of Police, Narikudi Police Station, Thiruchuli Taluk, Virudhunagar District.

4.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai.

L.VICTORIA GOWRI, J.

Sml W.P.CRL. (MD)No.1498 of 2026

18.03.2026

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 18.03.2026 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MRS.JUSTICE L.VICTORIA GOWRI W.P.Crl.(MD).No.1498 of 2026 A.Prasanna Priya ... Petitioner Vs. 1.The District Collector, Collectorate Campus, Virudhunagar, Virudhunagar District. 2.The Tahsildar, Taluk Office, Thiruchuli Taluk, Virudhunagar District. 3.The State of Tamil Nadu, Rep. by the Sub Inspector of Police, Narikudi Police Station, Thiruchuli Taluk, Virudhunagar District. 4.A.Alagarsamy 5.M.Ramachandran 6.K.Marimuthu 7.Karuppiah ...Respondents Prayer : This Petition is filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 1 and 2 to accord permission and consequently direct the 3rd respondent to provide adequate police protection to celebrate the Panguni Pongal to be held during the third week of panguni in tamil year by all the villagers without any gender discrimination to the village temples namely Arulmigu Sri Muturaman Kaladi Swamy, Ruthrakariamman, Karuppanasamy Ayyanar, Sri Sorazhagi Amman and Sri Mandhamman situated within same campus at Muthaneri village, Narikudi post, Thiruchuli Taluk, Virudhunagar District, based on the agreement arrived at on 06.04.2025 in the peace committee meeting in the presence of the 3rd respondent and based on the representation submitted by the petitioner and other female descendents dated 28.03.2025. For Petitioner : Mr.R.Murugan For R-1 & R-2 : Mr.M.Muthumanikkam, Government Advocate (Civil side) For R-3 : Mr.S.S.Manoj, Government Advocate (Crl. side)