HC allows Dharmapuri temple car festival, hears matter through WhatsApp video call

CHENNAI: In a rare such event, the Madras High Court on Sunday heard litigation as an urgent matter through the WhatsApp video call and allowed a car festival of Abheeshta Varadarajaswamy temple in Papparapatti Agraharam Dharmapuri district.

During the outbreak of the pandemic, courts in the country shifted to the online hearing proceedings in March 2020. While such a mode of hearings had come or partially come to an end in March, the Madras HC's Justice GR Swaminathan had taken a matter filed by PR Srinivasan, Hereditary Trustee of Abheeshta Varadaraja Swamy temple as an urgent matter on Sunday and heard the same through the WhatsApp video call mode.

"'Our village will face divine wrath if the proposed Rath festival is not held tomorrow' – This fervent prayer of the writ petitioner made the court hold an emergency sitting from Nagercoil and conduct the case through WhatsApp, " Justice Swaminathan said in his order.

The petitioner wanted to quash an impugned order of the Inspector, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department, Pennagaram restraining the petitioner from conducting the car festival on 16.05.2022 voting the security reasons.

On allowing the matter, the judge quashed the order observing that the inspector, HR-CE is not conferred with the power to cancel the car festival.

"Section 8 of TN HR-CE Act does not provide any power to an Inspector to pass communication to a fit person/trustee to cancel the car festival. Therefore, I quash the same, the judge held.

P Muthukumar, the Government leader submitted that the government is ready to allow the car festival but the permission was denied on the grounds of security issues.

"Recently, a fatal incident occurred in a car procession held in Thanjavur district, " the GP recalled.

Recording the statement, the judge directed the TANGEDCO to snap the power supply throughout the procession which is to be held in Papparapatti Agraharam.

He also directed the HR-CE, revenue and local body administration to take proper action to ensure the procession is held in a secured manner.