S.Ayyanar v. The District Collector

ORDER This Writ Petition is filed seeking to issue a Writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ or order or direction in the nature of writ direction the respondents 1 to 5 to take appropriate action against the respondents 7 to 11 herein from ex-communicating the petitioner and the residents of northern street of the Devendrakula Vellalar Community from participating the Kodai festival to be conducted in Arulmigu Madasamy Thirukoil situated at Thangammalpuram Village, Kadambur Post, Kayathar Taluk, Thoothukudi District and further directing the respondents 7 to 11 to collect vari from the petitioner and the residents of northern street of the Devendrakula Vellalar Community and to ensure their participation in the kodai festival to be conducted on 11.06.2026 to

13.06.2026 by considering the representation dated 01.06.2026.

¶2In view of the fact that no adverse order is proposed to be passed as against the respondents 7 to 11, notice to them is dispensed with.

¶3The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that 7th to 11th respondents are hindering the petitioner from participating in the temple festival at Arulmigu Madasamy Thirukoil situated at Thangammalpuram Village, Kadambur Post, Kayathar Taluk, Thoothukudi District. In this regard, he had given a complaint. The same is not considered, hence this petition.

¶4The learned Government Advocate submitted that the a peace committee meeting is scheduled to be held on 15.06.2026 by the Tahsildar

¶5Considering the fact that the festival is to be conducted on

11.06.2026 to 13.06.2026, this Court is of the considered view that there is no point in conducting a peace committee meeting on 15.06.2026. In this regard, the second respondent is directed to conduct a peace committee meeting on 10.06.2026, by putting the petitioner as well as the private parties on notice and give an opportunity of hearing to all the parties and make sure that neither the petitioner nor any one of the residents more particularly the devotees belonging to Devendrakula vellalar Community are excommunicated from participating in the temple festival. It is further directed that the fourth respondent police, should ensure that none of the private respondents or anyone in the village should claim any first honour during the conduct of the said festival. The private respondents should receive temple tax from the petitioner and the people belonging to Devendrakula Vellalar community and also permit them to participate in all the functions connected there to in the said Kodai festival.

¶6It is also brought to the notice of this Court by the learned counsel for the petitioner that the private respondents had arbitrarily charging an enhanced amount of rupees Rs.20,000/- as temple tax while charging Rs.5000/- from the people belonging to other community.

¶7Therefore, the second respondent is directed to conduct a discreet enquiry in this regard and find out the tax levied by the temple administration to the members of the said temple, and it is directed that the private respondents are permitted to obtain temple tax only as levied on all other persons.

¶8With the above direction, this Writ Petition is disposed of. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition stands closed.

09.06.2026 NCC : yes / no Index : yes / no Note : Issue order copy on 09.06.2026 pnn To

¶1The District Collector, Thoothukudi District, Thoothukudi.

¶2The Revenue Divisional Officer, Revenue Divisional Office, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

¶3The Superintendent of Police, Thoothukudi District, Thoothukudi.

¶4The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli District.

¶5The Tahsildar, Kayathar, Thoothukudi District.

¶6The Inspector of Police, Kadambur Police Station, Kadambur, Thoothukudi District.

¶7The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai. ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooL.oVICTORIAoGOWRI,J pnn ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooORDER oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooIN oooooooooooooooooooooooooWPoCRL.(MD)oNo.3035oofo2026 ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooDateoo:o09/06/2026

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT Dated : 09/06/2026 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MRS. JUSTICE L. VICTORIA GOWRI and WPMP CRL.(MD). No.746 of 2026 S.Ayyanar ... Petitioner Vs 1. The District Collector, Thoothukudi District, Thoothukudi. 2. The Revenue Divisional Officer, Revenue Divisional Office, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District. 3. The Superintendent of Police, Thoothukudi District, Thoothukudi. 4. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli District. 5. The Tahsildar, Kayathar, Thoothukudi District. 6. The Inspector of Police,, Kadambur Police Station, Kadambur, Thoothukudi District. 7. P.Ganesan 8. G.Thirumal 9. A.Seeni 10. P.Nagarajan 11. K.Velmurugan ... Respondents PRAYER :- To issue a Writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ or order or direction in the nature of writ direction the respondents 1 to 5 to take appropriate action against the respondents 7 to 11 herein from ex- communicating the petitioner and the residents of northern street of the Devendrakula Vellalar Community from participating the Kodai festival to be conducted in Arulmigu Madasamy Thirukoil situated at Thangammalpuram Village, Kadambur Post, Kayathar Taluk, Thoothukudi District and further directing the respondents 7 to 11 to collect vari from the petitioner and the residents of northern street of the Devendrakula Vellalar Community and to ensure their participation in the kodai festival to be conducted on 11.06.2026 to 13.06.2026 by considering the representation dated 01.06.2026. For Petitioner : Mr. A.Mohamed haneef, Advocate. For Respondent : Mr.K.Saravanan - for R1, R2 and R5 Counsel for Government of Tamil Nadu (Civil Side) Mr.D.Rajaboopathy for R3, R4 and R6 Counsel for State of TN (Crl.side)