Madras High Court Stays Contempt Proceedings Over Thiruparankundram Deepam Row
The Madras High Court on Tuesday (17th March), stayed the contempt proceedings pending before a single judge of the Madurai bench over non-compliance of its order directing the lighting of Karthigai Deepam at the Deepathoon (stone pillar) atop the Thiruparankundram Hills.
The bench of Justice N Sathish Kumar and Justice M Jothiraman has issued the interim stay on an appeal filed by the State authorities. The Court also remarked that such issues could have been avoided if the temple management itself had taken steps to light the lamp as per the order.
The single judge had initially (on December 1, 2025) ordered the management of Arulmighu Subramaniya Swamy Temple to light the lamp at 6 pm on December 3rd. A contempt petition was then moved by the Petitioner on December 03, alleging that no arrangements had been made to comply with the order. The judge then permitted the petitioner-devotee, along with 10 more persons, to light the lamp themselves. It also asked the CISF to give protection to the Petitioners. However, considering the law and order situation prevailing in the area, the District Collector issued a prohibitory order under Section 144 CrPC.
While hearing the contempt plea, on December 4, the court quashed the prohibitory order, noting that it was promulgated only to circumvent the implementation of the court order. When the matter was again taken up on December 9, the Court directed the state's Chief Secretary and Additional Director General of Police (L&O) to appear before it. The court also impleaded the Union Home Secretary and issued a statutory notice to Deputy Commissioner of Police Inigo Divyan.
Following this, affidavits were filed by the officials explaining that they had the highest regard for the court order, and the prohibitory orders were only issued to maintain law and order. The court then suggested that the order can be respected by permitting 5 persons, named by the court, to go to the lower peak of the hillock where the deepathoon lies so that symbolic prayers can be offered for 15 minutes. The Court directed the parties to get instructions on the suggestion.
The District Collector (Madurai) KJ Praveenkumar IAS, the Commissioner of Police (Madurai City) J Loganathan IPS, and the DCP (South) Madurai City Inigo Divyan, have now filed appeals against the order passed by the single judge in the contempt proceedings.
When the matter came up before the division bench today, the bench ordered an interim stay and adjourned the case to April 8.
Additional Advocate General J Ravindran appeared for the appellants.
Case Title: KJ Praveenkumar IAS v Rama Ravikumar and Others
Case No: LPA (MD) 9 of 2025