'No Hierarchy Among Devotees Based On Birth': Madras High Court Allows SC Community To Participate In Temple Rituals

The Madras High Court recently permitted members of the Adi Dravidar community, a scheduled caste community, to perform the Ninth Day Mandakapadi (temple pooja) during the Chithirai festival in Arulmighu Sri Moongil Ayyanar Temple. [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 314] Justice L Victoria Gowri held that the Constitution does not recognise any hierarchy among the devotees based on birth. The...

Madras High Court Reserves Orders On V Ponraj's Plea To Quash FIR Over Remarks Against TVK Women Supporters

The Madras High Court, on Monday (July 13), reserved orders on two petitions filed by political commentator and scientist V Ponraj, seeking to quash the FIR registered against him for allegedly defamatory statements made by him against women supporters of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party.Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan reserved orders after hearing Senior Advocate NR Elango for Ponraj and...

LiveLaw Madras High Court Weekly Roundup: July 06 to July 12, 2026

Citations: 2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 300 To 2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 312 NOMINAL INDEX Y Gnana Ganesh and Another v State of Tamil Nadu, 2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 300 M/s. Sripathi Paper and Boards Private Limited v The Commissioner of Customs and Others, 2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 301 Pazhaniyappan v The District Collector and Others, 2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 302 LK Charles Alexander v The Registrar General...

Circular Issued To Prevent Non-Academic Activities In Educational Institutions: TN Govt Informs High Court On CM Vijay Birthday Celebration Row

The Tamil Nadu Government, on Monday (July 13), informed the Madras High Court that the School Education Department has issued a circular to prevent any non-academic activities in educational premises.Advocate General Vijay Narayan made the submissions before the bench of Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan, which was hearing a plea filed by former AIADMK MLA VBP Paramasivam seeking direction to the Union of India, the Higher Education Department, the School Education...

No Right To Pollute Water Bodies In Name Of Religion: Madras High Court On Discarding Clothes In River During Death Rituals

The Madras High Court recently observed that no person had a right to pollute waterbodies in the guise of performing religious rituals for the departed. [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 313]“No one has the right to pollute a water body even in the name of religion. This can be taken as an axiomatic proposition. If statutory backing has to be shown, one can straightaway cite Section 36 of the Tamil...

Madras High Court Restrains ECI From Conducting Bye-Election In Five Constituencies, Including Seat Vacated By CM Joseph Vijay

The Madras High Court has restrained the Election Commission of India (ECI) from notifying bye-elections in Trichy (East), Perundurai, Ambasamudram, Viralimalai & Karur assembly constituencies till July 31st [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 312]The bench of Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan passed the interim orders on a plea filed by Venkatachalapathy, seeking to declare...

No Legal Bar On Deploying Female Teachers To Govt Aided Boys School: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court recently held that the Tamil Nadu Private Schools (Regulations) Act and the Tamil Nadu Private Schools (Regulation) Rules do not prohibit appointing a female teacher in an all-boys school. [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 311] Justice B Pugalendhi observed that an aided school could not object to the deployment of a woman teacher merely on the ground that it was a boys'...

Madras High Court Refuses To Halt Release Of "Idhayam Murali" Movie On Filmmaker Sudha Kongara's Plea

The Madras High Court on Friday (July 10) refused to halt the release of upcoming Tamil movie "Idhayam Murali" on a plea filed by filmmaker Sudha Kongara over unpaid remuneration of Rs. 8.39 crores for her work in connection with the Tamil movie “Parasakthi”. [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 310]Justice K Kumaresh Babu also refused to reserve all records of revenue generated from the movie "Parasakthi"...

Karur Stampede | Madras High Court Permits TVK Govt To Give Jobs To Victims' Kin, Says Appointments Will Be Subject To Review

The Madras High Court, on Friday (July 10), permitted the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) led state government to give government jobs to families of victims who lost their lives in the Karur stampede tragedy in September last year. The bench, however, said that the appointments would be temporary and subject to judicial review. [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 309]The bench of Justice CV Karthikeyan...

Step-Son Not Eligible To Claim Family Pension Under Railway Pension Rules: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court has held that a stepson is not eligible to claim family pension under the Railway Rules. [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 308] The bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice N Senthilkumar noted that under the Railway Services (Pension) Rules 1993, family pension could be granted only to persons who fell under the definition of “family” as provided under the Act. Noting...

CM Vijay Birthday Celebration Row: Madras High Court Issues Notice On Plea To Keep Educational Institutions Free From Political Activities

The Madras High Court has issued notice on a plea seeking to ensure that educational institutions in the state are not used for political, ideological, communal, personality glorification, divisive or any other activities unrelated to the educational objectives.The bench of Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan issued notice on a plea filed by V Kavi Ganesan, an advocate...

Madras High Court Stays Look Out Circular Against Former Minister EV Velu, Asks Vigilance Dept To Not Take Coercive Action Till July 28

The Madras High Court, on Thursday (July 9), stayed a lookout circular issued against former DMK Minister EV Velu in connection with a Vigilance case alleging corruption in laying of roads while he was acting as Minister for Public Works. [2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 307]The LOC has been stayed on the condition that Velu appears before the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption on July...