Vishwanathan v. The District Collector

ORDER The petitioner, a resident of Kamaraj Nagar, Veeramangalam, has filed this writ petition for a Mandamus, directing the third respondent/the Thasildar, Aranthangi, to permit him to conduct the Sri Muthupidari Amman Temple Festival on 11.07.2023 and 12.07.2023, by considering his representation dated 20.06.2023.

¶2The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that there are 53 Adi Dravidar Families in Veeramangalam village and the village people established a Temple, by name, Shri Muthupidari Amman Temple and also appointed the 4th respondent as an Administrator of the Temple. According to the petitioner, the 4th respondent has not paid the tax amount for the Temple. When the village people proposed to conduct a temple festival in the month of May, the 4th respondent has not permitted the people to conduct the festival. Therefore, the petitioner submitted a representation to the first and second respondents in the month of October 2022. Based on the proposal sent by the first and second respondents, the third respondent conducted a peace committee meeting on 18.05.2023, wherein, both the parties have participated and they have agreed to conduct the temple festival jointly by both the parties in a peaceful manner. Despite the same, the 4th respondent has created trouble to conduct the temple festival. Therefore, the petitioner filed a writ petition in W.P.(MD)No. 14426 of 2023 seeking permission to conduct temple festival on

20.06.2023 and 21.06.2023. Since the writ petition came up for hearing only on 20.06.2023, the petitioner has withdrawn the writ petition. Again, the village people have decided to conduct the temple festival on 11.07.2023. In this regard, the petitioner has made a representation dated 20.06.203 to the respondents, seeking permission to conduct the Sri Muthupidari Amman Temple Festival on 11.07.2023 and 12.07.2023. Since there was no response, the petitioner is before this Court.

¶3The learned Special Government Pleader, on instructions, submits that there are some disputes between the petitioner's group and the 4th respondent's group. Based on the earlier representation made by the petitioner, a Peace Committee Meeting was conducted by the Tasildhar, Aranthangi on 18.05.2023. During the Peace Committee Meeting, both the parties have agreed to perform poojas and conduct the festival jointly in a peaceful manner.

¶4The report of the Thasildar, Aranthangi, reveals that there are two groups headed by the petitioner and the 4th respondent and there are some disputes between them. Since the 4th respondent has created some problem to conduct the temple festival, the petitioner made a representation to the respondents. Based on the said representation, the 3rd respondent conducted a Peace Committee Meeting on 18.05.2023, wherein, both the parties have agreed for joint celebration of temple festival.

¶5Though there are some disputes between two groups, the temple festival need not be stopped, for which, the village people need not be affected. Therefore, this Court directs the third respondent, namely, the Thasildar, Aranthangi, Pudukkottai District, either to conduct the temple festival on his own or to depute any Deputy Thasildar as his representative to perform the festival of Sri Muthupidari Amman Temple on 11.07.2023 and 12.07.2023. Both the petitioner's group and the 4th respondent's group are expected to co-operate the Thasildar in conducting the temple festival. In the event the third respondent/the Thasildar, Aranthangi, makes any request for police protection to conduct the temple festival, the Inspector of Police, Avudaiyarkoil, shall provide adequate police protection to conduct the temple festival in a peaceful manner.

¶6With the above direction, the writ petition is disposed of. No costs.

03.07.2023 ogy NCC : Yes / No. Index : Yes / No. Internet : Yes / No. To

¶1The District Collector, District Collector Office, Pudukkottai District.

¶2The Revenue Divisional Officer, Aranthangi, Pudukkottai District.

¶3The Thasildar, Aranthangi, Pudukkottai District.

B.PUGALENDHI, J. ogy

03.07.2023

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 03.07.2023 CORAM: THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE B.PUGALENDHI Vishwanathan ... Petitioner versus 1. The District Collector, District Collector Office, Pudukkottai District. 2. The Revenue Divisional Officer, Aranthangi, Pudukkottai District. 3. The Tasildhar, Aranthangi, Pudukkottai District. 4. Radhakrishnan ... Respondents Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, seeking for the issuance of Writ of Mandamus, to direct the 3rd respondent herein to permit the petitioner to conduct the Sri Muthupidari Amman Temple Festival on 11.07.2023 and 12.07.2023 situated at Veeramangalam Post, Aranthangi Taluk, Pudukkottai District, based on the petitioner's representation dated 20.06.2023. For Petitioner : Mrs.A.Banumathy For R1 to R3 : Ms.D.Farjana Ghoushia, Special Government Pleader