'Would Harm Communal Harmony': Madras High Court Rejects Plea To Stop Amusement Rides During Aadi Thabasu Festival
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court dismissed a plea seeking to stop amusement rides and activities during the Aadi Thabasu festival in Tenkasi, holding that petitions of this nature, when organisers have already obtained all necessary permissions, could harm communal harmony.Justice L. Victoria Gowri observed,“Aadi Thabasu is a very important traditional festival which is...
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court dismissed a plea seeking to stop amusement rides and activities during the Aadi Thabasu festival in Tenkasi, holding that petitions of this nature, when organisers have already obtained all necessary permissions, could harm communal harmony.
Justice L. Victoria Gowri observed,
“Aadi Thabasu is a very important traditional festival which is being conducted from time to time by the people of Tamil Nadu with great bhakti and devotion. Writ petition like this, would harm the communal harmony and religious harmony of the locality and this Court negates all the claim of the petitioner on the basis of the proper instructions and various permissions which has been already afforded to the organizers by the Government".
The petitioners alleged that the land on which the festivities were being held was congested and lacked proper access. They further contended that the amusement rides and other activities were being conducted without proper permission and safety measures, and this could endanger the lives of people.
Opposing the plea, the State submitted that the same site had been used for the festival celebrations for the past 20 years, and that the District Collector had imposed several conditions for the organisers, whose compliance would be strictly monitored by the police. The Government further told the Court that the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services Authority had already inspected the site and approved the proposal to conduct amusement activities on the eve of Aadi Thabasu from July 17, 2026 to August 17, 2026.
The State alleged that the petitioner had approached the Court with a “mischievous intention only to disturb the peaceful conduct of the festival” and sought dismissal of the writ petition.
The court noted that all the permissions as granted by the Government and the steps taken by the District Collector and the respondent police had been brought on record. The Sankarankovil Municipality has also taken all necessary steps to ensure peaceful conduct of the festival, the court noted.
It thus dismissed the plea.
Case: J.Hakkim v The Superintendent of Police, Tenkasi, Tenkasi District & others,
Case No: WP CRL.(MD). No.3967 of 2026