SC to Consider TN’s Plea Against HC Nod for Karthigai Deepam Lamp
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday upheld a single-judge order allowing devotees to light the lamp at the Deepathoon
New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider a plea filed by the Tamil Nadu government challenging a Madras High Court order that allowed devotees of the Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy Temple to light the traditional Karthigai Deepam lamp at the “Deepathoon”, a stone lamp pillar on the Thiruparankundram hillock near a dargah.
A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said it would consider listing the matter after the state’s counsel mentioned the case. When a respondent’s counsel accused the state of creating “unnecessary drama” to show the High Court that the issue had reached the Supreme Court, the state law officer said it was “just mentioning.” “We will see,” the CJI responded.
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday upheld a single-judge order allowing devotees to light the lamp at the Deepathoon. The December 1 order had held that the temple was duty-bound to light the lamp there, stating it would not affect the rights of the adjacent dargah or the Muslim community.
When the order was not implemented, the single judge on December 3 permitted devotees themselves to light the lamp under CISF protection. The State government has now taken the matter to the Supreme Court.
