Ela.Pandiyarajan v. The District Collector
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 09.09.2025 CORAM :
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE V. LAKSHMINARAYANAN Ela. Pandiyarajan, M/41 S/o.Lakshmanan, State President, Ambedkar Makkal Neethi Iyakkam, Register No.270/2014, No.2/40, Dr.Ambedkar Street, Kollacherri, Kundrathur, Chennai-69.
.. Petitioner 1.The District Collector, Collectorate, Kancheepuram District, Kancheepuram.
2.The Municipal Commissioner, Municipal Office, No.1, Lalachatram Road, Kundrathur, Chennai-600 069.
3.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Office of the Revenue Divisional Officer, Sriperumbudur.
4.The Tahsildar, Office of the Tahsildar, Kundrathur, Chennai-69.
.. Respondents 1/6
Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to ensure that all community people and general public including the Petitioner Organization are allowed to Donate and Participate in the grand opening of Dr.Ambedkar Bronze State near Bus Stand, Kundrathur Municipality on 10.09.2025 or in future date by considering the representations of the petitioner dated 28.07.2025 and 01.09.2025 to 1st respondent. For Petitioner : Mr.N.S.Suganthan For Respondents : Mr.Ramanlal, Additional Advocate General assisted by Mr.L.S.M.Hasan Fizal Additional Government Pleader (for R1, R3 & R4) Dr.T.Seenivasan, (for R2) Special Government Pleader
O R D E R
Heard Mr.N.S.Suganthan, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner, Mr.Ramanlal, learned Additional Advocate General appearing for R1, R3 and R4 and Dr.T.Seenivasan, learned Special Government Pleader appearing for R2.
2.The petitioner states that he is running an organisation under the name and style of 'Ambedkar Makkal Neethi Iyakkam'. The area of operation of this association seems to be in and around Kundrathur. 2/6
3.There exists a statue for Bharat Ratna Dr.Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar at Kundrathur. It is placed near the bus stand. The statue which had been installed above three decades ago, was made of cement. The petitioner claims that he has been maintaining the statue all along. He submits that he also been honouring Dr.Ambedkar by garlanding the statue during several occasions.
4.The grievance of the petitioner is that the Kundrathur Municipality had decided to replace the cement statue with a bronze one. The petitioner fears that he will not be permitted to participate in the celebratory function during its inauguration. He also demands that he should be permitted to donate towards the cost of erection of the bronze statue. To that effect, he made a representation to the 1st respondent on 28.07.2025 and 01.09.2025, but the same were not considered. As a result of those representations being ignored, the petitioner is before this Court. 5.Mr.Ramanlal, who takes notice for the Respondents 1, 3 and 4 states that the unveiling of the statue is hosted by the Government of Tamil Nadu. High Officials of the Government are to participate in the function on 10.09.2025. Being a public function held by the Government, he states that the Government is not preventing anyone from participating in the said function. The statement of Mr.Ramanlal, that any member of 3/6
the public, including the writ petitioner and its members will be permitted to join in the celebrations, as spectators, is recorded. 6.The further request of Mr.Suganthan is that the deponent should be permitted to garland the statue as he used to do before. Mr.Ramanlal suggests that once the official functions are over, any person including the petitioner can garland the statue.
7.As the statements made by the learned Additional Advocate General addresses the grievances raised by the petitioner, no further orders are necessary in the writ petition. The writ petition is disposed of. No costs.
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To 1.The District Collector, Collectorate, Kancheepuram District, Kancheepuram.
2.The Municipal Commissioner, Municipal Office, No.1, Lalachatram Road, Kundrathur, Chennai-600 069.
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3.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Office of the Revenue Divisional Officer, Sriperumbudur.
4.The Tahsildar, Office of the Tahsildar, Kundrathur, Chennai-69.
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V. LAKSHMINARAYANAN,J.
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