The Madras High Court, on Tuesday (June 10, 2025) directed the Perambalur District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) chairperson to find out whether the car of Vedha Mariyamman Temple at Veppanthattai village in the district would be able to pass through the streets where the Scheduled Caste population resides.
Justice P. Velmurugan directed the chairperson to measure the length and width of the temple car as well as the length and width of the streets and ascertain whether the car could be pulled through those streets or not. The judical officer was ordered to submit a report by July 8.
The orders were passed after Additional Advocate General J. Ravindran told the court that the width of the temple car was 3.6 metres and therefore, it would not be possible to pull the car and turn it through the five-metre wide street. However, the petitioners’ counsel disputed the submission.
S. Vinothkumar and R. Manivannan, both Scheduled caste residents of the village, had filed the writ petition alleging that the caste Hindus in the village, for years, had been intentionally preventing the temple car from entering the localities inhabited by the Scheduled Castes.
Officials warned of holding ‘kangaroo courts’
Even this year, a peace committee meeting was conducted by the revenue officials and some Scheduled Caste residents were forced to sign an agreement which stated that the temple car would pass through the usual route during this year’s festival on June 10 too, they complained.
Stating that the temple car need not be taken on a procession this year since there was hardly any time to verify the claim and counter claims by the parties before the court, the judge said, the report to be filed by the DLSA chairperson could be used to pass orders for the festivals in the future.
He also cautioned the revenue and police officials against conducting “kangaroo courts” in the guise of peace committee meetings and threatening the villagers to sign on dotted lines. “The officers protect the Constitutional rights of the people in this country. They cannot indulge in such activities,” he said.
Published – June 10, 2025 05:26 pm IST
