Arumugam .M v. The Secretary To Government
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 26.03.2024
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE D.KRISHNAKUMAR and THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE R.VIJAYAKUMAR M.Arumugam ... Petitioner -vs1.The Secretary to Government Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Department Secretariat, St.George Fort Chennai 2.The Director Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences Central Office Building Chennai 3.The District Collector Madurai District, Madurai 4.Arulmighu Manthai Karuppanaswamy Temple Urangampatti rep.by its Fit Person Melur Taluk, Madurai District
5.The Joint Commissioner Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department Madurai ... Respondents PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a writ of mandamus directing the respondents to grant permission to the petitioner's village people to conduct Jallikattu / Manjuvirattu festival in Sri Manthai Karuppanaswamy Temple, Uranganpatti Village, Melur Taluk, Madurai District, in the festival to be held on 27.03.2024, by considering the representation of the fourth respondent dated 17.02.2024. For Petitioner :
Mr.G.Prabhu Rajadurai For Respondents :
Mr.P.Thilakkumar Government Pleader for R1 to R3 & R5
O R D E R
[Order of the Court was made by D.KRISHNAKUMAR, J.] Prayer in this writ petition is to direct the respondents to grant permission to the petitioner's village people to conduct Jallikattu / Manjuvirattu festival in Sri Manthai Karuppanaswamy Temple, Uranganpatti
Village, Melur Taluk, Madurai District, in the festival scheduled to be held on 27.03.2024, by considering the representation of the fourth respondent dated 17.02.2024.
2. Mr.P.Thilakkumar, learned Government Pleader, takes notice for the respondents 1 to 3 and 5.
3. According to the petitioner, he is a resident of Urangampatti Village and there are about 1500 families in the said village. Kottanipatti, Alagichettipatti, Pudhupattai and Dharmasanapatti come under Urangampatti Village. Every year, all these five village people conduct Manjuvirattu festival in the fourth respondent - Temple. The said festival is being conducted for the past 500 years without any room for interference. For this year, the Manjuvirattu festival is scheduled to be held on 27.03.2024 and the Fit Person of the Temple / fourth respondent, on behalf of all these five village people, on 17.02.2024 sent a representation to the District Collector / third respondent seeking permission for conducting Manjuvirattu event. The third respondent has also, after receiving a report from the revenue officials, by proceedings dated 12.03.2024, has requested the Director, Animal Husbandry and
Veterinary Sciences / second respondent to take steps to publish Government Order notifying Urangampatti Village for conducting Manjuvirattu festival. However, no steps have been taken thereafter. Hence, this writ petition.
4. Learned Government Pleader appearing for the respondents 1 to 3 and 5, on instructions, submits that the recommendation made by the District Collector is now pending with the Secretary to Government / first respondent and appropriate orders will be passed on or before 02.04.2024 notifying Urangampatti Village in the Government Gazette for conducting Manjuvirattu event, without any further delay.
5. In view of the above submission of the learned Government Pleader, we direct the first respondent to consider and pass necessary orders in accordance with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and Rules thereunder, notifying Urangampatti Village in the Government Gazette for conducting Manjuvirattu event, on or before 02.04.2024.
6. With the above direction, this writ petition is disposed of. No costs.
[D.K.K., J.] [R.V., J.] 26.03.2024 NCC :
Yes / No Index :
Yes / No Internet :
Yes / No Note to Office:
Issue order copy by 27.03.2024.
krk To:
1.The Secretary to Government, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Department, Secretariat, St.George Fort, Chennai.
2.The Director, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Central Office Building, Chennai.
3.The District Collector, Madurai District, Madurai.
4.The Joint Commissioner, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department, Madurai.
D.KRISHNAKUMAR , J.
and R.VIJAYAKUMAR, J.
krk 26.03.2024