[Cites 1, Cited by 0]
Madras High Court
E.N.Madeswaran vs The Revenue Divisional Officer on 6 March, 2026
Author: M.Dhandapani
Bench: M.Dhandapani
WP No. 9433 of 2026
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 06-03-2026
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI
WP No. 9433 of 2026
E.N.Madeswaran
S/o. Late. Nachimuthu Gounder,
D.No. 2/195 Jemmeen Elampalli Village,
Paramathi Velur Taluk, Namakkal District
..Petitioner(s)
Vs
1. The Revenue Divisional Officer
Office of Revenue Divisional Office,
Tiruchengode Taluk,Namakkal District
2. The Joint Commissioner (HR and CE)
Office of Joint commissioner (HR and CE)
Solar, Erode, Erode District
3. The Assistant Commissioner (HR and CE)
Government Office Additional buildings,
Collectorate, Room No. 215, First Floor,
Namakkal District
4. The Executive Officer
Arulmigu Prasanna Venkatramanaswamy
Temple, Pandamangalam post,
Paramathivelur Taluk, Namakkal district
5. M.Bharath
S/o. Late. Muthusamy,
D.No. 3/114-A Padukaikadu,
Jameen Elampalli post, Paramathi Velur Taluk,
Namakkal district
..Respondent(s)
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WP No. 9433 of 2026
Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India praying for
issuance of a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents 1 to 4 to conduct
the Masi Festival of Arulmigu Mahamariyamman Temple existing at Jameen
Elampalli Village, Paramathi Velur Taluk, Namakkal District from 10.3.2026 to
27.03.2026 in a secular Manner by considering petitioner’s representation
dated 09.02.2026
For Petitioner(s): Mr.V.Ragavachari for
Mr.Ma.P.Thangavel
For Respondent(s): Mr.T.M.Rajangam for R1
Government Advocate
Mr.S.Ravichandran for R2 to R4
Additional Government Pleader
ORDER
This Writ Petition has been filed to direct the respondents 1 to 4 to
conduct the Masi Festival of Arulmigu Mahamariyamman Temple existing at
Jameen Elampalli Village, Paramathi Velur Taluk, Namakkal District from
10.3.2026 to 27.03.2026 in a secular Manner by considering petitioner’s
representation dated 09.02.2026.
2. According to the petitioner, the petitioner is the hereditary trustee /
Dharmakartha for the temple, namely, ‘Sri Vinayagar Kandiamman, Sri Maha
Mariyamman, Bathrakali Amman Temples’ situated in Jameen Elampalli,
Nanakkal District and the said temple exist for more than 10 decades. Further,
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during every year, annual masi festival is being conducted during english
calendar month of March by collecting a nominal donation for each family
members from the six villages. While so, during the year 2023, at the time of
collecting donation from each family members from the six villages, a dispute
arose among the community members as to who has to collect and who has
to conduct festival. Thereafter, three peace committee meetings were
conducted by the revenue officials. This Court by an order dated 10.03.2025
in W.P.No.8211 of 2025 directed the respondents 1 and 2 therein to conduct
the festival, however, the respondents therein failed to obey the same. Hence
Contempt Petition No.967 of 2025 was filed and a direction was issued on
23.06.2025 indicating that “in view of the conflicting claims that are made, and
to avoid conducting a roving enquiry, it is made clear that from next year
onwards, the Assistant Commissioner shall act as the observer from the
beginning. It shall be ensured that the entire temple festival is conducted in a
secular manner, without any reference to caste. If anybody creates
commotion or employs one upmanship on the basis of the caste, he should
not be permitted, and the entire festival should be conducted with the other
devotees.” Since the respondents are trying to create the very same issue for
this Year also, the petitioner submitted a representation on 09.02.2026,
however, the same has not been considered, hence the present Writ Petition.
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3. The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that a direction
may be issued to the 1st respondent to follow the procedures / principles laid
down in the order passed in W.P.No.8211 of 2025 dated 10.03.2025 and
orders dated 27.03.2025 and 09.06.2025 in Contempt Petition No.967 of
2025.
3. Heard the learned Government Advocate for the 1st respondent and
the learned Additional Government Pleader appearing for the respondents 2
to 4 and perused the documents placed on record.
4. In view of the limited prayer sought for by the petitioner and
considering the fact that the Masi Festival of Arulmigu Mahamariyamman
Temple existing at Jameen Elampalli Village, Paramathi Velur Taluk,
Namakkal District commences from 10.3.2026, this Court hereby directs the
1st respondent to consider the representation of the petitioner dated
09.02.2026 in terms of the order order passed in W.P.No.8211 of 2025 dated
10.03.2025 and orders dated 27.03.2025 and 09.06.2025 in Contempt Petition
No.967 of 2025 on merits and pass appropriate orders on or before
09.03.2026, after providing opportunity to the necessary parties.
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With the above direction, the Writ Petition is disposed of. The 1 st
respondent shall act on the web copy of this order without waiting for the
certified copy. No costs.
06-03-2026
Index: Yes/No
Speaking/Non-speaking order
Neutral Citation: Yes/No
Note: Registry is directed to upload the order copy on 06.03.2026
ssd
1. The Revenue Divisional Officer
Office of Revenue Divisional office
Tiruchengode Taluk,
Namakkal district
2. The Joint commissioner (HR and CE)
Office of Joint commissioner (HR and CE)
Solar, Erode, Erode district
3. The Assistant Commissioner (HR and CE)
Government office Additional buildings,
Collectorate Room No. 215 First Floor,
Namakkal district
4. The Executive Officer
Arulmigu Prasanna Venkatramanaswamy Temple,
Pandamangalam post,
Paramathivelur Taluk,
Namakkal district
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M.DHANDAPANI, J.
ssd
06-03-2026
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