S.R. Vinu v. The District Collector / District Election Officer,

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT Dated : 20.04.2026

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MRS.JUSTICE L.VICTORIA GOWRI W.P.Crl(MD)No.2231 of 2026 S.R.Vinu ... Petitioner Vs.

1.The District Collector / District Election Officer, 2.The Superintendent of Police, 3.The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Colacheal, Kanyakumari District.

4.The District Fire & Rescue Officer, Fire and Rescue Services, No.9/648, Cape Road, Kottar, Nagercoil - 629 001.

5.The Inspector of Police, Puthukadai Police Station, Puthukadai, Kanyakumari District.

6.The Special Election Officer, Vilavamcode Constituency Taluk, Kanyakumari District.

... Respondents 1/6

PRAYER :-Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to consider the petitioner's representation dated 01.04.2026 and grant permission for the Aarattu procession based on the Aahama Rules and the traditional cultural programme and display fireworks at the premises of the temple till 01.30 a.m on 23.04.2026, the 10th day of Annual Festival Celebration of the village public temple, Arulmigu Sathasiva Manonmanipuram Devasthanam Temple, Vilathurai, Kappukadu, Vilavancode Taluk, Kanyakumari District within the time stipulated by this Court.

For Petitioner : Mr.N.P.Ajish for M.R.Sreenivasan For R4 & R6 : Mr.C.Satheesh Government Advocate(Civil) For R2, R3 & R5 : Mr.S.Ravi Additional Public Prosecutor For R1 & R6 : Mr.Niranjan Rajagopalan

ORDER

Seeking to direct the respondents to consider the petitioner's representation dated 01.04.2026 and grant permission for the Aarattu procession and to display fireworks at the premises of the temple on 23.04.2026, more particularly on the 10th day of Annual Festival Celebration of Arulmigu Sathasiva Manonmanipuram Devasthanam Temple, Vilathurai, Kappukadu, Vilavancode Taluk, Kanyakumari District, this writ petition is filed.

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2. The learned Additional Public Prosecutor submitted that the 10th day of the Temple Festival falls on the election day, on which date the police officials will be fully engaged in the Bandobast duties related to the election and hence, the respondent police will not be in a position to give due protection at the time of Aarattu procession. However, this Court is of the concerned view that it is an age-old temple where temple festival is being conducted for several years from time to time without any untoward incident, peacefully. It is also the submission of the petitioner, who is the president of the said temple that there is no rival claim with respect to the conduct of the 10th day festival of the said temple and that petitioner and the temple committee will take the entire responsibility for conducting the same peacefully. If anything untoward happens, the petitioner and the temple committee would be at risk to face the consequences of the same.

3. Heard the learned counsels on either side and carefully perused the materials available on record.

4. In view of the limited scope of the relief sought for, the 5th respondent police is directed to forward the petitioner's representation to the 6th respondent. 3/6

The 6th respondent in turn is directed to consider the petitioner's representation, dated 01.04.2026 forthwith and grant permission to the petitioner temple for the conduct of Aarattu procession on 23.04.2026 and facilitate the proper conduct of 10th day of Annual Festival Celebration of the village public temple, Arulmigu Sathasiva Manonmanipuram Devasthanam Temple, Vilathurai, Kappukadu, Vilavancode Taluk. It is made clear that the petitioner committee should obtain necessary permission from the 4th respondent for display of fire works.

5. With the above directions. this Writ Petition stands disposed of. No costs.

20.04.2026 NCC : Yes / No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes/ No Note : Issue order copy on 20.04.2026.

gbg To 1.The District Collector / District Election Officer, 4/6

2.The Superintendent of Police, 3.The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Colacheal, Kanyakumari District.

4.The District Fire & Rescue Officer, Fire and Rescue Services, No.9/648, Cape Road, Kottar, Nagercoil - 629 001.

5.The Inspector of Police, Puthukadai Police Station, Puthukadai, Kanyakumari District.

6.The Special Election Officer, Vilavamcode Constituency Taluk, Kanyakumari District.

7.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai.

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L.VICTORIA GOWRI,J gbg W.P.Crl(MD)No.2231 of 2026 20.04.2026 6/6