Neethimuthiah v. The District Collector
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 25.09.2025
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.R.SWAMINATHAN and W.M.P(MD)No.20633 of 2025 Neethimuthiah ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The District Collector, Office of the District Collector, 2.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Office of the Revenue Divisional Officer, Usilampatti Taluk, 3.The Tahsildar, Usilampatti Taluk Office, Usilampatti, ... Respondents Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, to call for the records pertaining to the impugned order bearing Oo.Mu.No. 1/8
3750987/2025/C1 dated 12.09.2025 on the file of the first respondent and quash the same as illegal and consequently direct the respondents to grant permission to conduct Kida-Muttu cultural festival schedule to the held on 02.10.2025 Wednesday between 8 AM to 12 PM at Arulmighu Malairaman Temple situated at Kattadevanpatti, Usilampatti, Taluk, For Petitioner : Mr.R.Shankar Ganesh For Respondents : Mr.M.Lingadurai Special Government Pleader
ORDER
Heard both sides.
2.The petitioner wants to organise the petition mentioned event on 02.10.2025. His request was negatived by the first respondent. Challenging the same, this writ petition has been filed. 3.The learned Special Government Pleader appearing for the respondents submitted that the impugned communication is in consonance with Section 11(1)(m) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
He drew my attention to ROC.No.
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1509/TNAWB/2020 dated 06.01.2022 issued by the Commissioner of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services, Chennai making it clear that law permits to conduct Jallikattu / Manjuvirattu / Erudu Vidum Vizha / Vadamadu events only and not Rekhla race or Cock fight etc. 4.The submission of the learned Special Government Pleader is unanswerable. However, my attention is drawn to the order dated 03.04.3035 passed by the Hon'ble Division Bench in W.P(MD)No.9389 of 2025. The said order reads as follows:
"The writ petition has been filed challenging the impugned rejection order of the fourth respondent and for a consequential direction to the respondents to grant permission to conduct Kidamuttu cultural event on 09.04.2025.
2. A similar writ petition was filed before this Court praying for a direction to conduct Kida Muttu, in WP(MD)No.528 of 2022 and this Court disposed of the said writ petition on 11.01.2022. The relevant paragraphs are extracted hereunder:
"6.This Court, in Similar circumstances, allowed W.P. (MD).No.10771 of 2013 by order dated 05.07.2013 permitting cockfight, imposing certain 3/8
conditions. Following the said order, the second respondent is directed to grant permission to the petitioner to conduct 'Kida-Muttu' event on 22.01.2022 at Mamarthupatti, Madurai District, subject to the following conditions:- "(i) The 'Kida-Muttu' event to be held on 22.01.2022 shall be supervised by the third respondent as well as by the Veterinary Doctor of nearby Government Veterinary Hospital.
(ii) During the course of conducting 'KidaMuttu', it is to be ensured that there should not be any injury caused to the goats, involving in the event, and the goats should not be intoxicated with any alcoholic substance and to knives should be tied around the legs, horns of the goats, with the tip of the knives dipped in poisonous substances. The Veterinary Doctor shall ensure the same before starting of the event.
(iii) The petitioner shall bear the expenses towards police protection as well as the expenses towards the Veterinary Doctor.
(iv) It is made clear that the organizers should take all precautionary measures to avoid any untoward incident while conducting the event of 'KidaMuttu'. 4/8
(v) The second respondent while issuing the proceedings permitting the holding of the event shall stipulate appropriate conditions for adhering to Covid-19 protocol. I make it clear that the order has been passed in this writ petition based on the position obtaining today. It is of-course open to the second respondent to take a call, if any further lock down restriction is imposed by the Government.
(vi) All the above terms and conditions should be followed scrupulously by the petitioner and the petitioner shall file an affidavit of undertaking to the said effect before the second respondent."
3. Therefore, following the same, the writ petition is disposed of and the impugned order passed by the fourth respondent is hereby set aside. The fourth respondent is directed to issue proceedings permitting the petitioner to hold the event by incorporating appropriate conditions as extracted above from WP(MD) No.528 of 2022 except Covid-19 protocol. There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, connected Miscellaneous Petitions are closed." 5.When the Hon'ble Division Bench has taken such a view, I do not propose to differ. In this view of the matter, the impugned communication is set aside.
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6.The third respondent is directed to issue proceedings permitting the petitioner to hold the petition mentioned event by incorporating appropriate conditions as mentioned in the order of the Hon'ble Division Bench.
7.This Writ Petition is allowed accordingly. No costs.
Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed. 25.09.2025 NCC : Yes / No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes / No MGA Note: Issue order copy on 26.09.2025.
To 1.The District Collector, Office of the District Collector, 2.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Office of the Revenue Divisional Officer, Usilampatti Taluk, 6/8
3.The Tahsildar, Usilampatti Taluk Office, Usilampatti, 7/8
G.R.SWAMINATHAN, J.
MGA 25.09.2025 8/8