Tamil Nadu Officers Move Supreme Court Against Madras HC Order To Allow Temple Devotees To Light Lamp Near Thiruparankundram Hill Dargah

Tamil Nadu authorities have filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court challenging the order passed by the Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) permitting devotees of the Arulmighu Subramaniya Swamy Temple to light lamps (Karthigai deepam) at the Deepathoon (stone lamp pillar) atop the Thiruparankundram hills, which is located close to a dargah.

The petition is filed challenging the order passed by a division bench of the High Court earlier today which dismissed the State's appeal against an order passed by a single bench yesterday for the lighting of the lamp with the security protection by the CISF.  It may be noted that the orders are passed in contempt proceedings initiated over non-compliance of the order passed by the single bench on December 2.

After the dismissal of the contempt appeal, the single bench took up the matter later in the evening in contempt proceedings and directed the District Administration and the Police to allow the lighting of the lamp today itself. The single bench also quashed the prohibitory orders issued in the region. 

The single bench has posted the matter for tomorrow, 10.30 AM to report compliance. The State has approached the Supreme Court in the meantime, and the petition is seen registered at around 8.20 PM.

As per local reports, the authorities did not permit the lamp-lighting today and took into custody some leaders who had attempted to climb the hill.

The Special Leave Petition has been filed by  K.J.Praveenkumar, I.A.S., District Collector, Madurai and J.Loganathan, I.P.S., Commissioner of Police, Thallakulam, who were facing the contempt proceedings before the single bench.

Case : KJ Praveen Kumar v. Rama Ravikumar | Diary No. 70144/2025