W.P.Crl.(MD)Nos.3948 & 3995 of 2026 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 21.07.2026 CORAM: THE HONOURABLE MRS.JUSTICE L.VICTORIA GOWRI W.P.Crl.(MD)Nos.3948 & 3995 of 2026 and W.M.P.Crl.(MD)No.988 of 2026 W.P.Crl.(MD)No.3948 of 2026: Mathavi ... Petitioner Vs. 1.The Superintendent of Police, Ramanathapuram District. Ramanathapuram. 2.The State of Tamil Nadu, Rep by The Inspector of Police, Thiruvadanai Police Station Thiruvadanai Ramanathapuram District. 3.Mathivanan 4.Sathasivasam 5.Subramanian 6.The Tahsildar, Thiruvadanai, Ramanathapuram District. 7.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Ramanathapuram District. ... Respondents 1/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Crl.(MD)Nos.3948 & 3995 of 2026 (R6 & R7 are suo motu impleaded vide Court order dated 16.07.2026) PRAYER : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of Writ of Mandamus, directing the 2nd respondent to consider the petitioner's representation dated 08.07.2026 and grant permission, give adequate Police protection to pay or Votive offering during the temple festival in Sree Muthumariyamman Temple situated at Keelakottai Village, Thiruvadanai Taluk, Ramanathapuram District festival will be held on 21.07.2026, 24.07.2026 and 28.07.2026. For Petitioner : Mr.K.Anandraj For R1 & R2 : Mr.D.Rajaboopathy Government Advocate (Crl.) For R6 & R7 : M/s.M.R.Priyanka Jothi Government Advocate (Civil) W.P.Crl.(MD)No.3995 of 2026: S.Mathivanan ... Petitioner Vs. 1.The District Collector, Ramanathapuram District. Ramanathapuram. 2.The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Office of the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Thiruvadanai Circle, Ramanathapuram District. 3.The Inspector of Police, Thiruvadanai Police Station, 2/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Crl.(MD)Nos.3948 & 3995 of 2026 Thiruvadanai, Ramanathapuram District. ... Respondents PRAYER : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of Writ of Mandamus, directing the 3rd respondent to grant permission for conducting Arulmigu Muthumariamman Temple, Keelakottai - Chettiyenthal Temple Festival important function of Amman Karagam and village common pongal laid by Poojari of that temple on 28.07.2026 and direct to give adequate police protection on 28.07.2026 by considering the petitioner's representation dated 10.07.2026. For Petitioner : Mr.S.Ravi for Mr.R.Manickam For R1 : M/s.M.R.Priyanka Jothi Government Advocate (Civil) For R2 & R3 : Mr.D.Rajaboopathy Government Advocate (Crl.) COMMON ORDER W.P.Cr.(MD)No.3948 has been filed seeking a direction to the 2nd respondent to consider the petitioner's representation dated 08.07.2026 and grant permission, give adequate Police protection to pay or Votive offering during the temple festival in Sree Muthumariyamman Temple situated at Keelakottai Village, Thiruvadanai Taluk, Ramanathapuram District festival will be held on 21.07.2026, 24.07.2026 and 28.07.2026. 3/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Crl.(MD)Nos.3948 & 3995 of 2026 2. W.P.Cr.(MD)No.3995 has been filed seeking a direction to the 3rd respondent to grant permission for conducting Arulmigu Muthumariamman Temple, Keelakottai - Chettiyenthal Temple Festival important function of Amman Karagam and village common pongal laid by Poojari of that temple on 28.07.2026 and direct to give adequate police protection on 28.07.2026 by considering the petitioner's representation dated 10.07.2026. 3. Earlier, this Court in W.P.Crl.(MD)No.3948 of 2026 passed an order on 16.07.2026 directing the official respondents to stop the temple festival pertaining to Sri Muthumariyamman Temple situated at Keelakottai Village, Thiruvadanai Taluk, Ramanathapuram District recording the fact that only to prevent other community people from offering goats and pongal, particularly Scheduled Caste community people, the goat and pongal offered by the petitioner therein was not shared with the entire community. 4. While so, W.P.Crl.(MD)No.3995 of 2026 has been filed before this Court by the Festival Committee member cum Trustee of Sri Muthumariyamman Temple, Keelakottai Village. The learned counsel for the petitioner Mr.S.Ravi submitted that the Temple Committee had never ever discriminated anyone belonging to any community from participating in the 4/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Crl.(MD)Nos.3948 & 3995 of 2026 temple festivals. Earlier, one Thangavel had filed two writ petitions in W.P(MD)No.16590 of 2024 and 612 of 2025. In both cases, this Court had ensured the participation of all the communities in the temple festival and that was duly complied by the petitioner and the committee members ensuring comity among the villagers belonging to all the communities. Under such circumstances, the temple committee and the Temple Trustee will not have any objection permitting people from all the communities in participating in the temple festival. It was further made clear by the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner that the pongal which is scheduled to be conducted on 28.07.2026 would be shared with all the villagers irrespective of community. He also pointed out that as far as the sacrifice of goat is concerned, every community can have their own turn after the conclusion of the pongal festival, on the same day, after the offering of the temple goat at first. All the community people will be permitted without discrimination to sacrifice their respective goats. 5. The learned Government Advocate (Crl.side) submitted that already a complaint and a counter complaint has been received from the rival factions and C.S.R.Nos.153 and 154 of 2026 were issued on 11.07.2026. 5/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Crl.(MD)Nos.3948 & 3995 of 2026 6. Heard the learned counsels on either side and carefully perused the materials available on record. 7. The complaint received by the respondent police is only with respect to the permission which is sought for by the petitioner to conduct the temple festival peacefully and further seeking police protection. As far as the complaint received from one Mathavi is concerned, the same is with respect to seeking permission to participate in the Pongal festival and also to sacrifice goat. Since both the issues raised by lodging the said complaints have been given quietus by the order of this Court, the respondent police is directed to close the said complaints and further directed to give appropriate protection for the peaceful conduct of the temple festival. 8. The learned Government Advocate(Civil) also pointed out that the jurisdictional Tahsildar was also prepared to conduct a peace committee. Since this Court has now resolved the dispute, the temple festival will be facilitated to be held in terms of the order passed by this Court. It is also made clear that the Scheduled Caste people will also be permitted to participate in the common pongal and offer their share of goat after the sacrifice of the temple goat. It is also made clear that none of the parties could claim any first honor. 6/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Crl.(MD)Nos.3948 & 3995 of 2026 9. With the above directions, both the Writ Petitions stand disposed. Consequently, connected Miscellaneous Petition is closed. 21.07.2026 NCC : Yes / No Index : Yes / No gbg Note : Issue order copy on 21.07.2026. TO:- 1.The Superintendent of Police, Ramanathapuram District. Ramanathapuram. 2.The District Collector, Ramanathapuram District. Ramanathapuram. 3.The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Office of the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Thiruvadanai Circle, Ramanathapuram District. 4.The Inspector of Police, Thiruvadanai Police Station Thiruvadanai Ramanathapuram District. 5.The Tahsildar, Thiruvadanai, Ramanathapuram District. 7/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.Crl.(MD)Nos.3948 & 3995 of 2026 L.VICTORIA GOWRI, J. gbg 6.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Ramanathapuram District. 7.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai. Order made in W.P.Crl.(MD)Nos.3948 & 3995 of 2026 Dated 21.07.2026 8/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis