Flouting a court's order was "inexcusable" and it would amount to a breakdown of law and order.
The Madras high court's Madurai division bench on Tuesday upheld a single judge's order allowing lighting of a lamp on what is claimed as 'deepathoon' on the Thirupparankundram hill in Tamil Nadu.
Police in Madurai have registered a case against 113 people, including Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagenthran and senior party leader H Raja, for participating in a protest to demand the lighting of a lamp at the top of Thiruparankundram hill.
Several opposition MPs have submitted a notice to the Lok Sabha Speaker to move a motion for the removal of Madras High Court Judge G R Swaminathan over his order regarding a temple lamp.
Despite an earlier direction by the Bench, the lamp was not lit on an ancient stone pillar near a Dargah on the Thirupparankudram hill here on Karthigai Deepam this evening, triggering protests by the Hindu Munnani activists and a section of devotees.
A group of advocates led by TVK's advocates' wing president S Arivazhagan went to the residence of Justice M Dhandapani on Greenways road here and made a mention.
The division bench said that in the single judge's order dated December 1, 2025, the responsibility to carry out the work (lighting the lamp) was entrusted to the Thirupparankundram Arulmighu Subramania Swamy temple management.
The Madras High Court has rejected a plea for a CBI investigation into the Karur stampede that occurred during a rally by actor-politician Vijay, resulting in 41 deaths. The court also dismissed an anticipatory bail petition related to an attack on a hospital during the same rally.
The Madurai Bench of the high court will on Friday hear the case related to the Karur stampede incident, which claimed the lives of at least 41 people and over 100 were injured.
The Deepa Thoon controversy, if not allowed to die a natural death, could take the election focus away from the anti-incumbency impacting the DMK and into the secular space. Stalin would love to have it that way, all over again, after the three past elections, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
The Election Commission of India informed the Madras High Court that actor Vijay's TVK is not a recognised political party during a hearing regarding a PIL seeking its derecognition following a stampede at a party rally.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi contacted Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin and TVK party president Vijay following the Karur stampede, expressing concern and offering condolences. The incident resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries, prompting investigations and compensation announcements.
The TVK has sought an independent investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court, contending that a fair and impartial probe would not be possible if conducted solely by officers of the Tamil Nadu Police.
On the admissions, he said 26 people were treated in the OPD and were discharged. And of the 67 admitted as in-patients, 2 were critical. All others were stable. One of the patients was shifted to the Madurai GH for further treatment.
Amid widespread outrage and criticism, and opposition demand for a CBI probe, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday ordered transferring to the central agency, the investigation into death of Ajithkumar (29), who was picked up by a "special team" for interrogation in connection with a theft case.
The Madras high court on Tuesday appointed an inquiry officer into the Sivaganga custodial death case and allowed a CB-CID probe into the matter.
'There is no doubt about the antiquity of Tamil Nadu.'
While acknowledging that they needed strong allies for a chance in the assembly polls, AIADMK cadres seemingly prefer actor-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam to the BJP, owing to the latter's 'communal agenda' and consequent hardline Hindutva image, explains N Sathiya Moorthy.
The Hindu Munnani staged a protest in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, against a group of people consuming non-vegetarian food on the sacred Thiruparankundram hill. The protest, which was initially banned, was allowed by the Madras High Court with some restrictions. Several thousands of devotees, Hindu Munnani functionaries, and BJP members participated in the protest, raising slogans hailing Murugan (Lord Subrahmanya). Hindu Munnani state president Kadeshwara Subramaniam and scores of activists were arrested.
An exasperated Justice Chandrachud asserted he will not allow any lawyer to "dictate" the procedure of the court.
'This government is not in the hands of M K Stalin but in the hands of the bureaucracy -- the IAS and IPS.'
Narrating the role of Vadivelu in Maamannan, the judge said the eighth respondent Karuppu faced a similar situation in this case.
'We were not protesting for a wage hike or provident fund. We were protesting for the safety of the larger population. There is no personal gain.'
Recently, the Madurai bench of the Madras high court has ordered that the probe into the girl suicide matter will be transferred to the CBI.
Justice S Srimathy of the HC's Madurai Bench gave the judgement while hearing a plea from D Senthilkumar, who sought directions to the respondents to permit Hindus alone to the Arulmigu Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy temple and its sub-temples.
Defending the collegium's decision to appoint advocate Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri appointment as a judge of the Madras high court, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud has said one should not be "cold calling" individuals merely for views they may have held as lawyers.
The Madurai bench of the Madras high court has directed the secretary, environment and forest department, to ensure that there are no more acquisitions of elephants by private individuals or religious institutions in Tamil Nadu.
What should be made out of the Madras high court order involving non-Hindus' entry into Hindu temples, when many non-Hindus are among the hundreds of thousands that have been worshipping at these temples for generations, asks N Sathiya Moorthy.
"The CBI Director should be empowered to report directly to the minister and the prime minister with exclusive powers like the Cabinet secretary and should act alone without being under the administration of the central government," the judgment further read.
A trial court in Tamil Nadu's Kumbakonam on Tuesday convicted international antique dealer Subhash Chandra Kapoor and five of his accomplices to 10 years imprisonment in the Udayarpalayam burglary and illegal export of 19 antique idols valued over Rs 94 crore to the Art of the Past Gallery, New York, USA, the state idol wing CID said on Tuesday.
The Supreme Court on Monday reconsidered a plea for urgent hearing of a petition challenging the appointment of lawyer Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri as an additional judge of the Madras high court, and advanced the date of hearing to February 7 from February 10.
The Superintendent of Police of Tuticorin, where a father-son duo died after being allegedly thrashed by the police last week, was on Tuesday shunted out of the district and placed under "compulsory wait" by the Tamil Nadu government.
'CBI investigation revealed that the father-son duo was arrested in the evening of June 19, 2020, and allegedly tortured at the Sathankulam Police Station by the accused in the evening as well as in the intervening night, consequent to which both of them succumbed to the injuries and died in the intervening night of June 22 and 23'
"In the first place, unless a legislature mandates by law that CCTV cameras should be installed in certain place, it cannot be done. It is violation of Art 21 (on privacy)," Justice G R Swaminathan of the Madurai bench of the HC said.
Gowri in her address after sworn in as additional judge asserted that she would dispense justice in realising the dreams of the makers of the Constitution.
A few weeks ago Palthurai was admitted to the jail hospital after he tested positive for COVID-19. Earlier on July 28, head constable Murugan and constable Muthuraj, two accused in the case had also tested positive for COVID-19.
a special bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and B R Gavai said they were 'not entertaining the writ petition' that sought to restrain Gowri from taking oath 'in view of the grave threat to the independence of the judiciary'.
The HC observed that there was no constitutional violation in the rules.
The petitioner demanded that Jallikattu must be conducted under the supervision of the district collector.
Party insiders concede statements of the Raja kind have the potential to hurt the DMK's electoral chances in closely-fought seats in 2024, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
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