Sanatan Prabhat > Post Type > News > National News > Madras High Court upholds order to light the lamp on Thirupparankundram hill in Tamil Nadu

Madras High Court upholds order to light the lamp on Thirupparankundram hill in Tamil Nadu

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) – The Madras High Court has upheld the single-judge order permitting the lighting of the ceremonial lamp during the Karthigai Deepam festival on Thirupparankundram Hill in Madurai. Earlier, the court had issued specific directions regarding the lighting of the lamp at the Deepasthambam located near the dargah. However, the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) government had refused to deploy administrative machinery, citing a possible law-and-order problem, and had approached the Supreme Court seeking relief.

Dargah and State government failed to produce evidence

A division bench comprising Justice G. Jayachandran and Justice K.K. Ramakrishnan observed that neither the state government nor the Hazrat Sultan Sikandar Badshah Auliya Dargah was able to present any concrete evidence to establish that lighting the lamp at the site was prohibited under religious scriptures.

Law-and-Order argument based on “Imaginary Fear”

The court stated that the apprehension of a law-and-order issue was purely imaginary. It noted that the fear that allowing temple representatives to light a lamp on a stone pillar on one day in a year would disturb public peace was difficult to comprehend for a powerful state. The administration, the court said, should have viewed the issue as an opportunity to bridge differences between communities through dialogue, rather than escalate tensions.

Impeachment motion against the judge in the Deepam case

Following the verdict, a motion seeking the removal of Justice G.R. Swaminathan, who had delivered the original judgment, was introduced during Parliament’s winter session. The impeachment motion was signed by over 100 MPs from the Congress, DMK, Samajwadi Party, and other INDIA alliance parties. Justice Swaminathan had granted permission for lighting the lamp during the Karthigai Deepam festival at the Arulmigu Subramanya Swamy Temple on Thirupparankundram Hill.

State’s opposition rejected, Court’s order stands

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had allowed the lighting of the lamp at the Deepasthambam, despite the state government’s objection that the location was close to the dargah and could disturb social harmony. Even after reconsideration, Justice Swaminathan upheld his order. As the administration failed to implement it, the court eventually permitted the lamp-lighting under the protection of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

What Is the Case about ?

Justice Swaminathan had directed the authorities of the Subramanya Swamy Temple in Tamil Nadu to make arrangements for lighting the lamp on the sacred Thirupparankundram Hill in Madurai district. The site has been a subject of dispute between the temple and the adjacent dargah. In his order dated 1st December 2025, the judge clarified that the responsibility of lighting the lamp lay with the temple authorities. This decision was strongly opposed by the DMK government.

 

Latest Articles