S.Chokkalingam v. The Superintendent Of Police
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 09.04.2025
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE P.DHANABAL W.P(MD) No.10170 of 2025 S.Chokkalingam ... Petitioner vs.
1.The Superintendent of Police, Tenkasi District.
2.The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Alangulam, Tenkasi District.
3.The Inspector of Police, Pavoor Chatram Police Station, Tenkasi District.
4.The Assistant Commissioner, HR & CE Department, O/o. the Assistant Commissioner, 10-13, Tenkasi-Courtalam Main Road, Courtalam, Tenkasi District.
5.T.Shivamoorthy 6.P.Amutha Tamil Pandian ... Respondents PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India Page No. 1 of 6
to issue a Writ of Mandamus, to direct the respondents 1 to 3 to grant permission and police protection to conduct the Arulmigu Sudalaimadaswamy Temple Festival at Keelapavoor, Alangulam Taluk, Tenkasi District on 22.04.2025 by considering the petitioner representation, dated 01.04.2025.
For petitioner :Mr.P.Sujai Krishana For R1 to R3 : Mr.R.M.Anbunithi Additional Public Prosecutor (Crl.Side) For R4 : Mr.Senthil Ayyanar, Government Advocate For R5 : Mr.V.Panneer Selvam *****
O R D E R
This petition is filed by the petitioner to direct the respondents 1 to 3 to grant permission and police protection to conduct the Arulmigu Sudalaimadaswamy Temple Festival at Keelapavoor, Alangulam Taluk, Tenkasi District on 22.04.2025, by considering the petitioner representation, dated 01.04.2025.
2. The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner is one of the villagers of the Keelapavoor Village and the Page No. 2 of 6
villagers decided to conduct Kodai festival in Arulmigu Sudalaimadaswamy Temple in the Tamil month of Chitrai. While so, they approached the third respondent for granting permission through representation dated 01.04.2025, but no order was passed. Therefore, he filed this petition.
3. The learned Government Advocate for the fourth respondent would submit that the administration of the said temple was taken over by the fourth respondent and the same was challenged by the petitioner and others, in which this Court granted stay.
4. The learned counsel for the fifth respondent would submit that he has no objection to conduct the festival and they did not give any special honour to anybody and no any cultural programme and they are not even used loud speaker or music system. However, the respondent police insisted the villagers to get permission for the festival.
5. The learned counsel for the respondents 1 to 3 would submit that the representation of the petitioner was sent to the superintendent of Police and no any copies were marked to the respondents 2 and 3. Page No. 3 of 6
However, they have no objection to conduct festival and worship. Therefore, if necessary, they will provide adequate police protection.
6. Considering the prayer sought for in this petition and the petitioner is not going to conduct any cultural programmes and no any special honour to anybody and not even they will use loud speakers. While so, the permission from the police is not required and right to worship is available to every individual as per Article 25 of Constitution of India. Therefore, the petitioner can conduct the festival without any permission from the concerned police. However, if the police wants to supervise the function, they can give adequate police protection in accordance with law.
7. In view of the same, this Writ Petition is disposed of. 09.04.2025 NCC : Yes/No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes / No apd Page No. 4 of 6
To 1.The Superintendent of Police, Tenkasi District.
2.The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Alangulam, Tenkasi District.
3.The Inspector of Police, Pavoor Chatram Police Station, Tenkasi District.
4.The Assistant Commissioner, HR & CE Department, O/o. the Assistant Commissioner, 10-13, Tenkasi-Courtalam Main Road, Courtalam, Tenkasi District.
5.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai.
Page No. 5 of 6
P.DHANABAL,J apd W.P.(MD) No.10170 of 2025 09.04.2025 Page No. 6 of 6