The appeal comes after the Madras High Court dismissed a government petition challenging contempt proceedings linked to an earlier single judge order that directed the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam at the ancient Deepa Thoon on the Thirupparankundram hilltop.
Published Dec 04, 2025 | 10:37 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 04, 2025 | 10:37 PM
Supreme Court
Synopsis: The Tamil Nadu government has approached the Supreme Court challenging a Madras High Court order that upheld a single judge’s directive to provide CISF protection for lighting the Karthigai Deepam at the ancient lamp pillar atop Thirupparankundram hill in Madurai.
The Tamil Nadu government has filed an appeal before the Supreme Court challenging the order passed by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court in the Thirupparankundram issue.
The Division Bench on Thursday, 4 December, dismissed the petition filed by the government challenging the contempt of court proceedings related to the court-directed lamp lighting at sacred hill in the temple town.
Justices G Jayachandran and KK Ramakrishnan noted that there was nothing wrong on the part of the single judge in directing the CISF to accompany the petitioner for lighting the lamp on the Deepathoon.
Thirupparankundram hill has long been a site of religious coexistence and communal harmony, hosting the Subramaniya Swamy temple, the Kasi Viswanathan temple and the Sikkander Badusha dargah.
However, in February, Hindu organisations launched a protest after Lok Sabha MP Nawaz Kani allegedly consumed meat at the hills. Since then, the temple has been at the centre of a row, though residents of the village continue to live in harmony.
The latest issue began after a petition before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court sought a direction to light the Karthigai Deepam at the ancient Deepa Thoon, located at the hilltop of Thirupparankundram, instead of lighting the lamp at the Uchipillaiyar Temple mandapam.
After hearing the case, single judge Justice GR Swaminathan ordered that the Karthigai Deepam be lit at the ancient lamp pillar on the hilltop. However, contrary to the court’s order, the lamp was lit at the Uchipillaiyar Temple mandapam.
Following this, the petitioner, Rama Ravikumar, filed a contempt of court petition alleging non-compliance with the court’s directions.
During the contempt proceedings, Justice GR Swaminathan directed that the petitioner, along with 10 persons, be taken to the hilltop under CISF security and that the lamp be lit at the Deepa Thoon.
Subsequently, the Tamil Nadu government filed an appeal before the Division Bench of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking to set aside the single judge’s order.
When the appeal came up for hearing before the Division Bench comprising Justices GJayachandran and KK Ramakrishnan, the Bench observed that the CISF security was ordered only because the single judge’s directions were not properly implemented.
The Bench further noted that since the police had failed to discharge their duty, no illegality could be found in directing CISF protection.
Observing that the state’s failure to carry out its duty necessitated the issuance of further directions by the single judge, the Division Bench dismissed the Tamil Nadu government’s appeal.
Challenging this order, the Tamil Nadu government has now approached the Supreme Court by filing an appeal. The matter is expected to come up for hearing soon.
BJP State President Nainar Nagendiran, along with HRaja and other cadres, was arrested by the Madurai city police for trying to enter the Thirupparankundram hill despite the ban imposed by the local police.
