[Cites 1, Cited by 0]
Madras High Court
Sri Subramanya Swamy Thirukovil vs The Commissioner on 25 February, 2026
Author: Krishnan Ramasamy
Bench: Krishnan Ramasamy
W.P.(MD) No.5279 of 2026
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT
DATED: 25.02.2026
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE KRISHNAN RAMASAMY
W.P.(MD)No.5279 of 2026
and W.M.P.(MD)No.4415 of 2026
Sri Subramanya Swamy Thirukovil
Swathanthira Paribalana Sthalathargal Sabai
(Regd.No.12/1996) Rep. By its President,
M.Veerabaghu Moorthy,
No.37, Thuvadhasi Madam,
Theppakulam Street,
Tiruchendur – 628 215,
Thoothukudi District. ... Petitioner
Vs
1.The Commissioner,
Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments
Department, 139, Uthamar Gandhi Salai,
Nungambakkam, Chennai – 600 034.
2.The Ulthurai Superintendent,
Arulmigu Subramanya Swamy Thirukovil,
Tiruchendur,
Thoothukudi District.
3.The Executive Officer/Joint Commissioner,
Arulmigu Subramanya Swamy Thirukovil,
Tiruchendur,
Thoothukudi District.
1/6
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W.P.(MD) No.5279 of 2026
4.The Thakkar/Fit Person,
Arulmigu Subramanya Swamy Thirukovil,
Tiruchendur,
Thoothukudi District. ... Respondents
Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India
praying to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the
records related to the order Na.Ka.No.1320/2026/U2 dated 20.02.2026
passed by the 3rd respondent and quash the same and consequently, direct
the respondents to act as decided in the order dated 20.08.2025 of the
third respondent and “identify and fix the Battar(s) for performing poojas
in main shrine and sub temples on day to day basis every month and
direct the said Battars to get jewels from the Sthalathars and temple
authorities on acknowledgement and safely return the same on
completion of programme/festival to the Sthalathars and temple
authorities”, within a time limit to be fixed by this Court.
For Petitioner : Mr.Sricharan Rangarajan,
Senior Counsel for
Mr.T.Sakthi Kumaran
For Respondents : Mr.K.Balasubramani,
Spl. Govt. Pleader for R1
Mr.R.Bharanidharan,
for Mr.M.Muthugethayan for R2 to R4
Mr.V.R.Shanmuganathan for
Mr.Suirya Kannan Sabanayagam
(Murai Battars)
2/6
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W.P.(MD) No.5279 of 2026
ORDER
This Writ Petition is filed challenging the order passed by
the 3rd respondent dated 20.02.2026 and also seeking for a consequential
direction, directing the respondents to act as decided in the order dated
20.08.2025 of the third respondent and “identify and fix the Battar(s) for
performing poojas in main shrine and sub temples on day-to-day basis
every month and direct the said Battars to get jewels from the Sthalathars
and temple authorities on acknowledgement and safely return the same
on completion of programme/festival to the Sthalathars and temple
authorities”, within a time limit to be fixed by this Court.
2. By consent, this Writ Petition is taken up for final disposal
at the admission stage itself.
3. The learned Senior Counsel appearing for the petitioner
would submit that by virtue of the impugned order, the respondents
proposed to identify and nominate the Battars to receive the jewels from
the petitioner for the festival to be held on 27.02.2026 and 28.02.2026.
He would further submit that if Battars are identified and nominated, it is
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convenient to the petitioner to hand over the jewels safely to them. Since
no names were identified and nominated so far, the petitioner is facing
difficulty to hand over the jewels. Therefore, the petitioner has filed this
Writ Petition for the above said relief.
4. When the matter is taken up for hearing in the Forenoon
today, this Court directed the respondents to nominate the Battars, who
are going to receive the jewels from the petitioner, considering the fact
that the festival is scheduled to be held on 27.02.2026 and 28.02.2026.
Accordingly, the third respondent has passed an order dated 25.02.2026,
nominating two Battars viz., S.Gomathi Sankara Battar, S/o.Subbiah
Battar and D.Shanmugam Battar, S/o.Dharmaraj Battar, to receive the
jewels from the Superintendent, Peshkar and 7 Sthalathars of the temple.
Further, in the said order dated 25.02.2026, it is clearly mentioned that
the above said two Battars will be responsible for the jewels until the
return of the same to the Superintendent, Peshkar and 7 Sthalathars of the
temple, after completion of the festival.
5. In such view of the matter, the petitioner's grievance has
been duly addressed by appointing two Battars, so that the petitioner can
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conveniently hand over the jewels to those two Battars. Therefore, no
further direction is required to be issued in this Writ Petition.
6. At this juncture, the learned counsel appearing for
respondents 2 to 4 seek police protection for conducting the temple
festival, which is scheduled to be held on 27.02.2026 and 28.02.2026. At
any cost, it is the duty of the District Collector as well as the concerned
Superintendent of Police to see that no untoward incident happens and
the festival is celebrated safely.
7. With the above directions, this Writ Petition is disposed
of. There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, connected
miscellaneous petition is closed.
25.02.2026
vsm
Index : Yes/No
NCC : Yes/No
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KRISHNAN RAMASAMY, J.
vsm
To
1.The Commissioner,
Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments
Department,
139, Uthamar Gandhi Salai,
Nungambakkam, Chennai – 600 034.
2.The Ulthurai Superintendent,
Arulmigu Subramanya Swamy Thirukovil,
Tiruchendur,
Thoothukudi District.
3.The Executive Officer/Joint Commissioner,
Arulmigu Subramanya Swamy Thirukovil,
Tiruchendur,
Thoothukudi District.
4.The Thakkar/Fit Person,
Arulmigu Subramanya Swamy Thirukovil,
Tiruchendur,
Thoothukudi District.
25.02.2026
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