Madras High Court
WP CRL.(MD)/5127/2026 of G.Kaliappan Vs The Revenue Divisional Offic on 10 September 2026
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT
Dated : 10.09.2026
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE DR. JUSTICE P. MURUGAN
WP.CRL.(MD). No.5127 of 2026
G.Kaliappan
... Petitioner
Vs.
1. The Revenue Divisional Officer,
Tenkasi,
Tenkasi District.
2. The Deputy Superintendent of Police,
Tenkasi,
Tenkasi District.
3. The Inspector of Police,
Courtallam Police Station,
Tenkasi District.
...Respondents
PRAYER :- Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, or any other appropriate Writ or Order or direction particularly in the nature of Writ, directing the respondents herein to grant permission to conduct
Vinayagar Sathurthi festival by erecting Vinayagar Statue at Arulmigu Maha Ganapathi Temple which is situated within the campus of Kaliamman Kovil, Keela Ilanji, Tenkasi District based on the petitioner's representation dated 31.08.2026 given to the respondents herein and pass such further or other orders as this Court.
For Petitioner : Mr. R.J.Karthick
For Respondents : Mr. A.Sivasubramanian
Additional Government Pleader
for R1.
Mr. C.Susikumar
Government Advocate (Crl. Side)
for R2 & R3.
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O R D E R
Heard both sides.
2. This Writ petition has been filed to direct the respondents herein to grant permission to conduct Vinayagar Chathurthi festival by erecting Vinayagar Statue at Arulmigu Maha Ganapathi Temple which is situated within the campus of Kaliamman Kovil, Keela Ilanji, Tenkasi District based on the petitioner's representation dated 31.08.2026 given to the respondents for the forthcoming Vinayagar Chathurthi on 14.09.2026.
3. The petitioner sent a representation dated 31.08.2026 to respondents 1 to 3 and also submitted another representation to the District Collector, Tenkasi on the same issue. However, the petitioner has not been submitted Form-I, as per G.O.Ms.No.598, dated 09.08.2018, before the first respondent. The representation of the petitioner dated 31.08.2026, seeking permission from the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO), the Deputy Superintendent of Police and the Inspector of Police has considered only by the Inspector of Police, Courtallam Police Station, Tenkasi District and finally the same was rejected, as if he had power to grant permission on account of the fact, that the petitioner did not conduct the Vinayagar Chathurthi festival in the year 2024 and for the year 2025. When the permission was rejected by the police, the petitioner came before this Court by filing a Writ Petition seeking a direction to the police to consider his request. Even after an order from the Court, the police rejected the permission to conduct the said Vinayagar
Chathurthi festival, thereby for the last two years no Vinayagar Chathurthi festival has been taken place. Taking note of the fact that for the past two years there is no Vinayagar Chathurthi festival taken place for those reasons, the third respondent rejected the permission sought by the petitioner.
4. The said rejection order was passed only on 09.09.2026, without having knowledge about the writ petition filed by the petitioner in which the writ petition was filed on 08.09.2026. The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner celebrated the festival up to 2023 and even for the year 2024 every proprietary work was commenced and the Vinayagar Idol was fixed at the Temple. Unfortunately, Dharmakartha of the said temple died in the year 2024. Therefore for the year 2024, Vinayagar Chathurthi festival was stopped by the Festival Committee members and village elders. However, it is not a ground to reject for this year. For the year 2025, though the petitioner made attempt to celebrate Vinayagar Chathurthi, the police refused to grant permission and commonly passed orders to the persons sought for permission by stating that whoever conducted the festival for the year 2024 were allowed to conduct during 2025. Since the petitioner could not able to conduct the festival for the year 2024, due to sudden demise of Temple Dharmakartha, that cannot be a reason for rejection even in the last year. Therefore, the Court may intervene and give direction to the petitioner as well as the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO). The petitioner is directed to file Form-I today [10.09.2026] or tomorrow [11.09.2026] morning by enclosing all necessary requirements as per G.O.Ms.No.598, dated 09.08.2018 and also the other judicial decisions cited at the Bar. In the event the petitioner is filing Form-I to the first respondent, the first respondent is directed to consider the same and take a positive direction at the earliest on or before 12.09.2026. The third respondent has no power to reject the permission for conducting Vinayagar Chathurthi festival.
5. Therefore the petitioner may be advised to file an application seeking NOC to the third respondent and if it is given by the petitioner, the third respondent is directed to consider and issue
NOC by taking sentiment of the larger public in the area.
6. With the above direction, this writ petition is disposed of. 10.09.2026 Index :Yes/No Internet :Yes/No NCC :Yes/No psa To
1. The Revenue Divisional Officer, Tenkasi, Tenkasi District.
2. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Tenkasi, Tenkasi District.
3. The Inspector of Police, Courtallam Police Station, Tenkasi District.
4. The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai.
DR. P. MURUGAN, J. psa
WP.CRL.(MD). No.5127 of 2026
10.09.2026