The Madras High Court has issued a stern warning to senior state officials, stating that contempt charges will be framed against them on February 2, 2026, unless they provide a satisfactory explanation for failing to implement a court order related to the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam at the Thiruparankundram hills.
Court's Ultimatum and Official Inaction
Justice G R Swaminathan, presiding over a contempt petition, expressed strong displeasure at the non-compliance of a court order dated December 1. The order had directed temple authorities to light the ritual lamp at the Deepathoon, a stone pillar atop the hill. The bench explicitly stated, "Unless proper cause is shown, charges will be framed against the contemnors on 02.02.2026."
The judge noted that the officials, including the deputy commissioner of police and the district magistrate, had been granted four weeks to respond but had failed to show cause for their decision. The court observed that despite having sufficient opportunity, the contemnors had not provided any justification for why contempt proceedings should not be initiated.
Multiple Acts of Alleged Contempt
Justice Swaminathan outlined three distinct acts that potentially constituted contempt of court. The first was the direct disobedience of the original December 1 order. The second involved the issuance of a prohibitory order under Section 144 of the CrPC by the district collector, which the court saw as an attempt to frustrate its directions. The third was the continued resistance to implementing the court's order even after the prohibitory order was subsequently quashed.
During the hearing, the officials submitted that they "acted on their own" and "not under dictation." The court, however, was critical of this stance. The Additional Advocate General, Veera Kathiravan, informed the court that affidavits from the officials would be filed on the next hearing date, citing the hospitalization of the counsel for the district collector as a reason for the delay.
Temple Land Encroachment and Criminal Trespass
The hearing also took a significant turn regarding the management of the Arulmigu Subramania Swamy Temple. The court questioned the temple's Executive Officer (EO) about the failure to lodge a police complaint against a nearby dargah management. The dargah had allegedly trespassed onto temple land to hoist a flag for its Santhanakoodu festival.
The court sought an explanation for how the dargah was allowed to put up its flag in the Deepathoon area, which a division bench order on January 6 had clearly declared to be temple property. The EO admitted that the dargah had not obtained any permission from the temple authorities. He conceded the act amounted to "rank criminal trespass" and undertook to immediately initiate criminal proceedings by lodging a complaint with the jurisdictional police.
Background of the Case
The contempt petition stems from the court's December 1 order concerning the centuries-old tradition of lighting the Karthigai Deepam. Earlier, in December 2025, the court had summoned senior police and revenue officials and issued a notice to the state government for allegedly disregarding its directions on grounds of policing and public safety related to large gatherings. On December 17, 2025, the court had directed the chief secretary to file detailed affidavits explaining the reasons for the non-compliance.
The matter has now been scheduled for its next hearing on February 2, 2026, where the officials must present their cause or face formal contempt charges.
