AFTER A Division Bench of the Madras High Court dismissed its appeal challenging a Single Bench direction to allow Hindu worshippers to light the Karthigai festival lamp at the ‘Deepathoon’, lower peak of the hillock in Thirupparankundram in Madurai on which the Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy Temple is located, the district authorities approached the Supreme Court Thursday evening challenging the order.
The Special Leave Petition was filed by Madurai District Collector K J Praveenkumar, who is in the eye of a storm and is facing contempt proceedings for allegedly defying the HC order.
On December 1, a single judge of the HC’s Madurai bench, Justice G R Swaminathan, allowed a plea for lighting the lamp at the ‘Deepathoon’ on the occasion of Karthigai festival on December 3.
However, the district authorities refused to allow the same following which the Single Judge took up a contempt plea against the District Collector, Madurai City Police Commissioner J Lokanathan and Temple Executive Officer Yagna Narayanan on December 3 and said that “contempt has been committed beyond dispute. The order of this court has been breached.”
Slamming the administration, the judge said, “I had passed the order sitting in Single Bench. So long as my order is not stayed or set aside by the Hon’ble Division Bench of this court or by the Hon’ble Supreme Court, it has to be complied with in letter and spirit. The Executive cannot remain in hibernation.”
He then went on to allow the petitioner, Rama Ravikumar, to go up the Hill with 10 other persons to carry necessary articles to the Deepathoon. The court also asked CISF to provide them security.
The district authorities, however, refused to allow the ritual and imposed prohibitory orders in the area. They also challenged the order before a Division Bench.
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On Thursday, an HC Division bench of Justices Justice G Jayachandran and KK Ramakrishnan upheld the Single Judge order. Dismissing the appeal, it said “we find this” it was “filed with ulterior motive to preempt contempt action”. The court also justified the order for CISF cover saying it “was provided only because the state police refused to give protection and comply with the court direction”.
After the Division Bench dismissed the appeal, Justice Swaminathan once again took up the matter and directed that the petitioner be allowed to light the lamp on Thursday itself.
The Single Judge also quashed the prohibitory orders imposed by the District Collector and fixed it for hearing on Friday morning to examine if its order had been complied with.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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