The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to examine an appeal by the Tamil Nadu government against a Madras High Court decision that allowed the lighting of a ceremonial lamp on the Thirupparankundram hill. A bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and Vipul M Pancholi issued notices to the original petitioners, including Rama Ravikumar, while declining to place a stay on the high court judgment.
Supreme Court Tagged Plea With Pending Matter
The top court linked the state government’s petition with a related pending case before adjourning the proceedings. The petition filed by the Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay-led state administration challenges a January 6 order issued by the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court. That ruling had affirmed an earlier single-judge decision from December 1, 2025, which directed that the ceremonial lamp be lit during the annual festival.
Origin Of The Legal Dispute
The litigation began when Rama Ravikumar and other petitioners filed a writ petition seeking permission to light the sacred Deepam at an ancient stone pillar, known as the Deepathoon, located on Thirupparankundram hill during the Karthigai Deepam festival observed annually in November and December.
Following the single-judge order in favor of the petitioners on December 1, 2025, appeals were lodged by the state government, temple management, and the Hazarath Sultan Sikkandar Badhusha Avuliya Dargah. The state argued that lighting the lamp near the hilltop dargah could spark communal tensions and create public order challenges.
High Court Dismissed Security Apprehensions
In its January 6 judgment, the high court division bench rejected the administration’s security concerns, describing the apprehension of public disturbance as baseless. The court ruled that the land containing the stone pillar belongs to the Sri Subramania Swamy Temple and stated that the Waqf Board held no legal standing in the matter.
The high court also noted that the district administration should have utilized the situation to foster peaceful negotiation and bridge division between the two communities.
