Madras HC Pulls Up Madurai Officials Over Delay In Contempt Case On Thiruparankundram Row

The Madras High Court on Friday came down heavily on district authorities in Madurai for failing to file their response in a contempt case linked to the non‑lighting of the ceremonial lamp at the Deepa Thoon atop Thiruparankundram hill. Justice G.R. Swaminathan, who had earlier directed that the lamp be lit during the Karthigai Deepam festival, adjourned the matter to February 2 after expressing displeasure at the administration's inaction.

Contempt Petition Against Officials

The contempt plea was moved against senior government officers, including the Madurai City Police Commissioner and the District Collector, for allegedly ignoring the court's earlier order. All of them were present in court during Friday's hearing.

Justice Swaminathan also raised questions about the temple administration's handling of encroachments, asking why no case of criminal trespass had been registered against a nearby dargah accused of tying a flag on temple property. "That is temple property. How did you permit the tying of the flag by the dargah?" he asked, seeking an explanation.

Long‑Standing Dispute

The controversy over lighting the Karthigai Deepam lamp at the hilltop temple has simmered for years. Earlier this week, a Division Bench of the High Court upheld Justice Swaminathan's order permitting the ritual. Justices G. Jayachandran and K.K. Ramakrishnan observed that the district administration should have treated the issue as an opportunity to foster dialogue between communities rather than escalate tensions.

The Bench further clarified that since the hill is a protected heritage site, all activities must comply with conservation laws. It allowed the ceremonial lamp to be lit but directed that the number of participants be fixed in consultation with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Petitioner Welcomes Ruling

Petitioner Rajesh hailed the ruling as "remarkable," urging temple authorities to make arrangements for the lamp‑lighting ceremony. He pointed out that the court had dismissed the Tamil Nadu government's objections, reinforcing the right of devotees to perform the ritual.

Political Fallout

The dispute has spilled into the political arena. During the Winter Session of Parliament, more than 100 MPs from the INDIA bloc submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking an impeachment motion against Justice Swaminathan over his order.

Tensions had already flared in December during the Karthigai Deepam festival, when clashes broke out between right‑wing activists and police. Earlier, in the first week of December 2025, the Madurai Bench had directed that the petitioner and ten others be allowed to light the lamp under CISF protection, after observing that its instructions had been wilfully disobeyed.

With inputs from ANI