A.A.Jaffer Ali v. The Home Secretary

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 20.02.2026 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.R.SWAMINATHAN and THE HONOURABLE MRS.JUSTICE R.KALAIMATHI W.P(MD)Nos.16740 and 17121 of 2015 and W.P.(MD)No.2955 of 2018 and M.P.(MD)Nos.1, 1, 2 and 2 of 2015 and W.M.P.(MD)No.18970 of 2017 and W.M.P.(MD)Nos.3121, 3122 and 4731 of 2018 W.P.(MD)No.16740 of 2015:- A.A.Jaffer Ali ... Petitioner Vs.

1.The Home Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, Fort St.George, Secretariat, Chennai – 9.

2.The Chief Secretary, Tamil Nadu Wakf Board, Vallal Seethakathi Nagar, Chennai.

3.The District Collector, Thanjavur District, Thanjavur.

4.The Superintendent of Police, Thanjavur, Thanjavur.

5.The Inspector of Police, Pabanasam Police Station, Pabanasam, Thanjavur.

6.Jaffer Ali, The Jamath President, Periya Pallivasal Jamath, Pandaravadai, Thanjavur. ... Respondents Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 1 to 5 to provide adequate protection to the petitioner's members to execute burial in common burial ground situated at S.F.No.88/A2, Periya Pallivasal, Pandaravadai, Thanjavur. For Petitioner : Mr.S.M.A.Jinnah For Respondents : Mr.A.Baskaran, Addl. Government Pleader for R1 & R3. Mr.K.Gnanasekaran, Govt. Advocate (Crl. Side) for R4 & R5. Mr.K.K.Senthil for R2 Mr.B.Jameelarasu for R6 W.P.(MD)No.17121 of 2015:- M.Shajahan ... Petitioner Vs.

1.The Home Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, Fort St.George, Secretariat, Chennai – 9.

2.The Chief Secretary, Tamil Nadu Wakf Board, Vallal Seethakathi Nagar, Chennai.

3.The District Collector, Thanjavur District, Thanjavur.

4.The Superintendent of Police, Thanjavur, Thanjavur.

5.The Inspector of Police, Pabanasam Police Station, Pabanasam, Thanjavur.

6.Yusuf Ali, The Jamath President, Periya Pallivasal Jamath, Rajagiri, Thanjavur. ... Respondents Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 1 to 5 to provide adequate protection to the petitioner's members to execute burial in common burial ground situated at S.F. Nos.129/5, 129/6 & 129/7, Periya Palllivasal, Rajagiri, Thangavur. For Petitioner : Mr.S.M.A.Jinnah For Respondents : Mr.A.Baskaran, Addl. Government Pleader for R1 & R3. Mr.K.Gnanasekaran, Govt. Advocate (Crl. Side) for R4 & R5. Mr.K.K.Senthil for R2 Mr.B.Jameelarasu for R6 W.P.(MD)No.2955 of 2018:- Sikkantharsha ... Petitioner Vs.

1.The District Collector, Ramanathapuram District, Ramanathapuram.

2.The Superintendent of Police, Ramanathapuram District, Ramanathapuram.

3.The Tahsildar, Ramanathapuram Taluk, Ramanathapuram District.

4.The Inspector of Police, Devipattinam Police Station, Ramanathapuram District.

5.Thoufiq, S/o. Kalith Jamath President Puthuvalasi Muslim Dharma Paribalana Sabai, Ramanathapuram District. ... Respondents Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the Respondents 1 to 5 to provide adequate police protection to the petitioner's members to execute burial in Survey Nos.50/1, 50/2A, 52(2B), the common burial ground, Puthuvalasai Village, Ramanathapuram District by considering his representation dated

04.02.2018. For Petitioner : Mr.S.M.A.Jinnah For Respondents : Mr.A.Baskaran, Addl. Government Pleader for R1 & R3. Mr.K.Gnanasekaran, Govt. Advocate (Crl. Side) for R2 & R4. Mr.S.A.Ajmalkhan for R5 COMMON ORDER (By G.R.SWAMINATHAN, J.) Heard both sides.

2.The writ petitioners are residents of Pandaravadai and Rajakiri villages in Thanjavur District and Puthuvalasai Village in Ramanathapuram District respectively. They belong to Thowheed Jamath. The writ petitioners demand that as when persons belonging to their Jamath pass away, their dead-bodies should be allowed to be buried in the kabristhan located in their villages. This is seriously objected to by the Periya Pallivasal Jamath and Puthuvalasai Muslim Dharma Paribalana Sabai which control and maintain the kabristhan. The stand of Periya Pallivasal Jamath and Puthuvalasai Muslim Dharma Paribalana Sabai is that the dead-bodies should be brought into the Pallivasal and then prayers must be offered and only thereafter, the dead-body should be taken to the kabristhan attached to the pallivasal for burial. Thowheed Jamath's members do not believe in such practices. Since Thowheed Jamath has its own pallivasal, the dead-bodies are taken to its pallivasal. Prayers are offered not by the imam but by the relatives of the deceased. The dead-bodes then are directly taken to the kabristhan without taking the dead-bodies into the Periya pallivasal. This bone of contention remained unresolved for quite some time. Peace committee meeting was convened. During the peace committee meeting, members of Thowheed Jamath agreed that they would abide by the customs of the Periya Pallivasal. But subsequently, they filed writ petition before this Court in W.P.(MD)No.16977 of 2015 and contended that they should be allowed to depart from the decision taken in the peace committee meeting. This Court came to the conclusion that such factual disputes cannot be resolved in writ proceedings and dismissed the writ petition vide order dated 18.11.2016.

3.The learned counsel for Periya Pallivasal and Puthuvalasai Muslim Dharma Paribalana Sabai would submit that since this issue has already been decided by this Court, it cannot once again be reopened. Though there is considerable force in this objection, we are of the view that in matters relating to burial of dead-bodies, one should not adopt a technical approach. We should also take note of an important subsequent development. Since such issue kept cropping up repeatedly before this Court, this Court directed the Waqf Board to take a call in the matter. Pursuant to the direction given by this Court, in order to ensure peace among the rival groups, the Waqf Board passed the following resolution:- "jPh;khdk;: Rd;dj; [khj; nfhs;iffisf; nfhz;l tf;G epWtdq;fshy;

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4.Waqf Board has the overall control and supervision over waqf properties in the State of Tamil Nadu. Since the statutory board has taken a call in the matter, Periya Pallivasal and Puthuvalasai Muslim Dharma Paribalana Sabai under Section 32 of the Waqf Act are obliged to adhere to the said direction. We therefore allow these writ petitions as prayed for.

5.At the same time, we cannot lose sight of one important fact. In the cemeteries attached to Roman Catholic Churches, the dead-bodies of Protestants are not allowed to be buried and vice versa. If a cemetery is maintained by a particular denomination, that cemetery cannot be used by persons belonging to other denominations. Therefore, the Waqf Board has to evolve a permanent solution to maintain peace and harmony. It cannot leave the issue to the State. We, therefore, direct the Waqf Board to call the various factions and arrive at a lasting solution.

6.These writ petitions are allowed accordingly. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed. (G.R.S. J.,) & (R.K.M. J.,)

20.02.2026 NCC : Yes/No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes/ No ias To:

1.The Home Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, Fort St.George, Secretariat, Chennai – 9.

2.The District Collector, Thanjavur District, Thanjavur.

3.The Superintendent of Police, Thanjavur, Thanjavur.

4.The Inspector of Police, Pabanasam Police Station, Pabanasam, Thanjavur.

5.The District Collector, Ramanathapuram District, Ramanathapuram.

6.The Superintendent of Police, Ramanathapuram District, Ramanathapuram.

7.The Tahsildar, Ramanathapuram Taluk, Ramanathapuram District.

8.The Inspector of Police, Devipattinam Police Station, Ramanathapuram District. W.P.(MD)Nos.16740eofe2015e&ebatch G.R.SWAMINATHAN,oJ. and R.KALAIMATHI,oJ. ias W.P(MD)Nos.16740oando17121oofo2015 and W.P.(MD)No.2955oofo2018 o

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