W.P.No. 28257 of 2022 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 21.11.2025 CORAM : THE HONOURABLE MR. MANINDRA MOHAN SHRIVASTAVA, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.ARUL MURUGAN W.P.No. 28257 of 2022 and W.M.P.No.27555 of 2022 Dr.R.Karpagam W/o.S.Ramalingam, 80/44,Ansari Street, Ramnagar, Coimbatore. Petitioner Vs 1.The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, Department of Forests, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, No.1,Jennis Road, Panagal Buildings, Saidapet, Chennai - 600015. 2.The Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director, Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve Roja Nagar, Veerappanchathiram Post, Erode - 638011. 3.National Tiger Conservation Authority, B-1 Wing, 7th Floor, Pt. Deendayal Antyodaya Bhawan, CGO Complex, New Delhi- 110003. ______________ p. 2 W.P.No. 28257 of 2022 4.The Assistant Commissioner, Office of the Assistant Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department, Erode - 638009. 5.Arulmigu Adhikaruvannarayar Bommadevar Temple, Kejahatti, Sathyamangalam Taluk, Erode District. 6.The District Collector, Erode District, First Floor, Collectorate, Erode-638011. Respondents PRAYER : Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking issuance of a writ of mandamus directing the 2nd respondent to fix the carrying capacity for the 5th respondent temple situated in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve and restrain the 2nd respondent from allowing devotees more than the carrying capacity of the 5th respondent in Sathyamangalm Tiger Reserve. For Petitioner: Mr.SP.Chockalingam For Respondents: Mr.A.Edwin Prabakar State Government Pleader assisted by Mr.K.Karthik Jagannath Government Advocate for respondent Nos.1, 2 & 6 Mr.V.Chandrasekaran for respondent No.3 ______________ p. 3 W.P.No. 28257 of 2022 Mr.N.R.R.Arun Natarajan Spl. GP (HR & CE) for respondent No.4 Mr.A.Jagadeeswari for respondent No.5 ORDER (Order of the Court was made by the Hon'ble Chief Justice) Heard learned counsel for the parties. 2. The purpose of filing this petition was to regulate and limit number of vehicles entering in the forest area carrying devotees to a temple, which is situated inside the forest area. A detailed order was passed by this Court earlier on 02.1.2024, which was later on modified also to some extent, vide another order dated 24.1.2025. This Court gave detailed directions with regard to the limitation over the use of vehicles, as also with regard to other aspects relating to visit of devotees in the temple and other rituals in the temple. 3. We are given to understand that an SLP was preferred against the order dated 24.1.2025, which was dismissed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. ______________ p. 4 W.P.No. 28257 of 2022 4. Though it was not within the scope of the present public interest litigation, later on, another issue of substituting the vehicles using diesel/petrol with electric vehicles/eco-friendly vehicles was also raised. We have directed the State to submit its response. The response indicates that it may not be feasible to use eco-friendly vehicles in an interior forest area, which is accessible only via an off- road with rough and uneven terrain. The topography, gradient and soil condition make it unsuitable for the operation of battery-operated or other electric vehicles, which are technically designed for plain and smooth surfaces. 5. In view of the above statement, we do not think that any such direction is required to be issued for mandating use of battery- operated car inside the forest area for devotees visiting the temple. 6. Though learned counsel for the petitioner seeks modification of the direction contained in clause (i) of para 11 of the order dated 24.1.2025 and that the devotees may not be allowed to stay in the temple premises in the night of the festival, we are not inclined to further modify the order, as the order passed by this court attempted ______________ p. 5 W.P.No. 28257 of 2022 to strike a balance between performance of rituals by the devotees in the temple on the auspicious day only and not on other days. The aforesaid guideline has been tested by the Hon’ble Supreme Court also. Therefore, no further directions are required to be issued in this petition. 7. The writ petition is, accordingly, disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition stands closed. (MANINDRA MOHAN SHRIVASTAVA, CJ) (G.ARUL MURUGAN,J) 21.11.2025 Index : Yes/No Neutral Citation : Yes/No bbr ______________ p. 6 W.P.No. 28257 of 2022 To: 1.The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, Department of Forests, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, No.1,Jennis Road, Panagal Buildings, Saidapet, Chennai - 600015. 2.The Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director, Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve Roja Nagar, Veerappanchathiram Post, Erode - 638011. 3.National Tiger Conservation Authority, B-1 Wing, 7th Floor, Pt. Deendayal Antyodaya Bhawan, CGO Complex, New Delhi- 110003. 4.The Assistant Commissioner, Office of the Assistant Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department, Erode – 638009. 5.The District Collector, Erode District, First Floor, Collectorate, Erode-638011. ______________ p. 7 W.P.No. 28257 of 2022 THE HON'BLE CHIEF JUSTICE AND G.ARUL MURUGAN,J. bbr W.P.No. 28257 of 2022 21.11.2025 ______________