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R.Arasu, v. The District Collector
WP(MD). No.27202 of 2026
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT
Dated : 21/09/2026
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE C.SARAVANAN
WP(MD) NO. 27202 of 2026
{CNR: HCMD011343422026} Case QR
R.Arasu ... Petitioner Vs
1.The District Collector, Madurai District,
Collectorate Buildings, Madurai - 625 020. 2.The Joint Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, Ellis Nagar,
Madurai- 625 016.
3.The Inspector,
Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, Office of the Inspector,
Melur Shivan Temple,
Melur,
Madurai District - 625 106.
4.The Superintendent of Police,
Madurai District,
Madurai - 625 007.
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5.The Tahsildar, Melur Taluk Office, Melur,
Madurai District - 625 106. 6.A. Subramani
7.P. Periyasamy
8.Pandi
9.V. Muthupandi
10.Ayyavu
11.Kanjarai ... Respondents
[R11 is impleaded vide order dated 21.09.2026 in WMP(MD)No.20804 of 2026]
PRAYER :-
Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 1 to 3 to appoint a Fit Person for Arulmigu Chinnadaikki Amman Temple, Arulmigu Periyadaikki Amman Temple, Arulmigu Aandi Arasu Magan Temple and Arulmigu Karuppanna Swamy Temple at Surakundu Village, Melur Taluk, Madurai District, to conduct the ensuing Purattasi festival of the said temples through the said Fit Person and not to permit the respondents 6 to 10 or any other person to collect money on behalf of the said temples or to be conferred the first honour during the said festival, and to direct the respondents 6 to 10 to hand over all the accounts, records and the key of the village chest to the said Fit Person and consequently to direct the respondents 4 and 5 to render adequate protection for the peaceful conduct of the said festival.
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For Petitioner : Mr.V.Sriram For R1 & R5 : Mr.S.Vashik Ali Additional Government Pleader For R2 & R3 : Mr.S.Venkatesh Additional Government Pleader For R4 : Mr.P.Vetrivel Government Advocate (Crl. side) For R6 to R10 : Mr.R.Raja Rishi For R11 : Mr.S.A.Ajin Singh
ORDER
The petitioner has filed this petition seeking a Mandamus to direct respondents 1 to 3 to appoint a Fit Person for Arulmigu Chinnadaikki Amman Temple, Arulmigu Periyadaikki Amman Temple, Arulmigu Aandi Arasu Magan Temple and Arulmigu Karuppanna Swamy Temple at Surakundu Village, Melur Taluk, Madurai District, to conduct the ensuing Purattasi festival of the said temples through the said Fit Person and not to permit respondents 6 to 10 or any other person to collect money on behalf of the said temples or to be conferred the first honour during the said festival, and to direct respondents 6 to 10 to hand over all the accounts, records and the key of the village chest to the said Fit
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Person and, consequently, to direct respondents 4 and 5 to render adequate protection for the peaceful conduct of the said festival.
2. The petitioner appears to be a disgruntled devotee of the subject temples. The case of the petitioner is that the temple festival is to kick- start on 22.09.2026, being the first Tuesday of the Tamil month of Purattasi, and that there are proposals to confer honours on the private respondents contrary to the customs.
3. It is submitted by the petitioner that the subject temples exclusively belong to the five Karais of Surakkundu Village, and the same reads as under:
Karai Karai Name/Division Traditional/Present Representation
1stKarai Munthi Iruvan Karai Formerly represented by the petitioner R.Arasu. Owing to his persistent anti- village activities and failure to account for temple funds, he was lawfully removed through village resolutions dated 30.06.2015, 01.07.2015 and 05.07.2015. The 6th respondent, A.Subramani, S/o.Arasappan, was invested with the title of Periya Ambalakarar on 07.07.2015 at the Village Manthai and he represents the karai for the present.
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2ndKarai Therku Valavar Karai Represented by the 7th respondent, P.Periyasamy, S/o.Palaniyandi for the present.
3rdKarai Pulli Kootam Karai Represented by the 8 th respondent,
Pandi, S/o.Nalliappan for the present. 4thKarai Vatta Solai Kootam Karai
Represented by the 9th respondent, Muthupandi, S/o.Veeranan for the present.
5thKarai Kanjan Kootam Karai Represented by the 10th respondent, Ayyavu, S/o.Karuppanan for the present.
4. It is submitted by the petitioner that, apart from the five Karais, there is also a sixth Karai belonging to the Scheduled Caste community and that they have been isolated from the temple festival.
5. The writ petition is opposed by the learned counsel for respondents 6 to 10, primarily on the ground that the petitioner himself belongs to the same Karai as that of the petitioner, namely, Munthi Iruvan Karai, and that the petitioner had misused his position. Therefore, the members of the said Karai had decided not to confer any privilege on the petitioner, as he had misused his position.
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6. The learned counsel for the eleventh respondent would submit that the eleventh respondent appears to be a member of the Scheduled Caste community from the said village and that the averment in paragraph 6 of the affidavit is incorrect.
7. The learned counsel for respondents 6 to 10 would submit that there is no proposal to hold the temple festival tomorrow, i.e., on 22.09.2026. That apart, it is submitted that the petitioner is making reckless allegations against the members who are to commence the temple festival.
8. It is submitted that, as of now, the temple festival will commence only on 29.09.2026. It is submitted that the attempt of the petitioner is merely to bring disharmony and disrupt the temple festival, which is being conducted harmoniously.
9. Having considered the submissions made by the learned counsel on either side and taking note of the fact that the temple is a non-listed temple but comes within the purview of the HR&CE Department, and
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considering the fact that there is no recorded procedure to be followed for the temple festival, the prayer sought for by the petitioner cannot be granted.
10. It is open for the petitioner to approach the HR&CE Department under Section 64 of the HR&CE Act, 1959, for framing an appropriate scheme for the temple festival and its management.
11. In case the private parties are aggrieved, they may also participate in the aforesaid proceedings.
12. Insofar as recognition of the first right and first honours are concerned, it is open for the parties to also move a petition before the Joint Commissioner under Section 63 of the HR&CE Act, 1959.
13. The Writ Petition stands dismissed with the above liberty. No costs.
sji 21.09.2026
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NCC : Yes/No
TO
1.The District Collector, Madurai District,
Collectorate Buildings, Madurai - 625 020. 2.The Joint Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, Ellis Nagar,
Madurai- 625 016.
3.The Inspector,
Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, Office of the Inspector,
Melur Shivan Temple,
Melur,
Madurai District - 625 106.
4.The Superintendent of Police,
Madurai District,
Madurai - 625 007.
5.The Tahsildar,
Melur Taluk Office,
Melur,
Madurai District - 625 106.
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C.SARAVANAN, J.
sji
ORDER
IN
WP(MD) No.27202 of 2026 Date : 21/09/2026
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