W.P.Crl.No.335 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED : 07.08.2025 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE D. BHARATHA CHAKRAVARTHY W.P.Crl.No.335 of 2025 V. Subramani @ Sekar ... Petitioner vs. 1. The Revenue Divisional Officer, O/o The District Collector, Vellore, Vellore District. 2. The Tahsildar, Anaicut, Vellore District. 3. The Inspector of Police, Bagayam Police Station, Vellore. 4. The Inspector of Police, Ariyur Police Station, Vellore. 5. T.M. Annamalai 6. Teekaraman 7. The Assistant Commissioner, HR & CE, Vellore. (R7 Suo-motu impleaded, vide order dated 07.08.2025) ... Respondents 1/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Crl.No.335 of 2025 Prayer: This Writ Petition has been filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue a Writ of Mandamus, to direct the respondents 1 to 4 to permit the petitioner to conduct "Kozwarkum Thiruvizha'' for Sri Mariamman Temple, Thellurpalayam Village, Vellore District and also to provide adequate police protection for conducting the same on 18.07.2025 or subsequent days in Aadi Month. For Petitioner : Mr. M.R. Thangavel For RR 1 to 4 : Mr. C.E. Pratap, Government Advocate (Crl. Side) For RR 5 and 6 : Mr. T. Muthu Krishanan For R7(impleaded) : Mr. K. Karthikeyan, Government Advocate (HR & CE) ******* O R D E R When the matter came up for arguments today, the learned counsel for the petitioner Mr. M.R. Thangavel would submit that he has given change of vakalat and the papers were handed over to the party. 2. No other counsel appeared on behalf of the petitioner today and neither the petitioner appeared in person today. 2/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Crl.No.335 of 2025 3. Upon considering the prayer made by the petitioner and considering the notice/ invitation that is printed in respect of the temple festival, what is have to be conducted is only the festival "Koozwarkum Thiruvizha" in Sri Mariamman Temple, Thellurpalayam Village, Vellore District. 4. The learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents 5 and 6 would submit that, though the invitation is printed in such a manner, the festival is ought to be conducted on communal basis with special privilege to some people alone and it is only in the context, the respondents are objecting and already a peace committee meeting was also conducted. The learned counsel further by pointing out the invitation would submit that the so called office bearers of the said temple have put the term 'Mettukudi' under their name and the 'Mettukudi' is not the name of any place or village in which they reside but they want to denote that they are higher in social status. 5. Heard the learned Government Advocate (Crl. Side). appearing for the respondents 1 to 4. 3/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Crl.No.335 of 2025 6. No person can consider himself as 'Mettukudi' in this country. There cannot be any such difference within human beings. ''gpwg;nghf;Fk; vy;yh caph;f;Fk;..." - "All lives are born equal" - is the universal law and the law of our nation. Article 14 of the Constitution of India proclaims equality. Article 17 prohibits untouchability. 7. The Assistant Commissioner, HR & CE, Vellore is suo-motu impleaded as the respondent no.7 in this case, if the said festival is to be conducted on any subsequent date of "Tamil month of Aadi", the Assistant Commissioner, HR & CE can fix a date and all the devotees irrespective of caste, creed, etc., can participate and let the said festival be conducted in a secular manner with no special privilege to any individual. If necessary for the conduct of the said festival, the respondent police shall provide necessary protection. 8. With the above direction, this writ petition is disposed of. 07.08.2025 Neutral Citation Case : Yes/No stn 4/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Crl.No.335 of 2025 To 1. The Revenue Divisional Officer, O/o The District Collector, Vellore, Vellore District. 2. The Tahsildar, Anaicut, Vellore District. 3. The Inspector of Police, Bagayam Police Station, Vellore. 4. The Inspector of Police, Ariyur Police Station, Vellore. 5. The Assistant Commissioner, HR & CE, Vellore. 6. The Public Prosecutor, High Court of Madras. 5/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Crl.No.335 of 2025 D. BHARATHA CHAKRAVARTHY, J. stn W.P.Crl.No.335 of 2025 07.08.2025 6/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis