HC dismisses plea to regulate installation of Vinayagar idols

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday dismissed public interest litigation as withdrawn which was filed for regulating the practice of installing Vinayagar idols on the roadside ahead of Vinayagar Chaturthi.

The first bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy dismissed the plea on the ground that the petitioner failed to array the right respondents.

The judges made this decision on a petition filed by advocate K Gopinath, President, Hindu Munnetra Kazhagam of Tirupur.

The petitioner sought direction from the court to the government to restrict the number of idols which should be installed in public places.

He further alleged that a few people are collecting funds for the Vinayagar Chaturthi celebration and the same act has often resulted in unrest in the western districts.

Pointing out that no proper rules and regulations have been devised to immerse and dissolve idols, water bodies are often getting polluted.

Recording the submissions, the judges questioned the petitioner why he had not arrayed respondents who are raising funds for the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.

Therefore, the petitioner requested the judges to grant liberty to file the matter afresh adding the concerned respondents.

Accepting the prayer, the bench granted liberty and dismissed the petition as withdrawn.