(Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus calling for the records relating to the impugned proceedings issued by the 2nd respondent, Inspector of police in Na.Ka.No. 40/AMB-PS/DGL/2026 dated 18.07.2026, Quash the same and further Direct the 2nd respondent to provide adequate police protection for the peaceful conduct of Punitha Santhihappar Festival of Punitha Senthiyahappaar Church, A.Vellodu, Dindigul District, which is scheduled to be held on 07th to 09th August, 2026 and in any other future dates as may be stipulated by this Court.)

Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus calling for the records relating to the impugned proceedings issued by the 2nd respondent, in Na.Ka.No. 40/AMBPS/DGL/2026 dated 18.07.2026, Quash the same as illegal and consequently directing the respondents to grant permission to the petitioner to conduct the big festival on and from 07.08.2026 to 09.08.2026 in Punitha Kuzhantai Therasal – Punitha Santhiyagappar Church is situated at A.Vellodu, Dindigul District, within stipulated time fixed by this Court.)

Common Order

1. These writ petitions have been filed challenging the order passed by the 2nd respondent, in Na.Ka.No. 40/AMB-PS/DGL/2026 dated 18.07.2026, with a consequential direction to the 2nd respondent to grant permission and provide adequate police protection for the peaceful conduct of Punitha Santhihappar festival of Punitha Senthiyahappaar Church, A.Vellodu, Dindigul District, which is scheduled to be held on 07th to 09th August, 2026.

2. WPMP Crl.(MD)No.1040 of 2026 seeking impleadment of the sixth respondent priest in WP Crl(MD)No.4225 of 2026 is allowed. Registry is directed to carry out necessary amendment.

3. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner in WP(MD)No.4225 of 2026 submitted that the petitioner, the 4th and 5th respondents are the members of the 85 years old Roman Catholic Church, namely St.James Church, (hereinafter referred to as “the Church”), which was established in the year 1937. During every tamil month of Aadi, the Punitha Santhihappar festival would be celebrated on commemorating the birth anniversary of St.James. The Vellodu village people elected the petitioner's family as head of the Village namely Nattamai and one A.Arulanantham's family as Kovil Maniam to lead the Church festival. As per the customary practice, the petitioner used to lead the festival as Nattamai since 1985 and A.Arulanantham as Kovil Maniam since 2013, respectively, after demise of his father and the committee members were chosen by the villagers at the time of festival once in a year.

4. It was further submitted that, during the year 2022, certain members of the Church, namely Vincent Suresh, J. Albert Selvaraj, S. Joseph, T. Stephen Kasbar and their supporters, protested against the customary practice of recognising the petitioner's family as Nattamai and the family of A.Arulanantham as Kovil Maniam. Pursuant thereto, the Revenue Divisional Officer, Dindigul, convened a peace committee meeting on 16.07.2022. The rival parties participated in the meeting in the presence of the Revenue Divisional Officer, the Tahsildar, the Inspector of Police, Ambadurai Police Station, and the sixth respondent Priest.

5. In terms of the decision arrived at in the said peace committee meeting, both the rival groups expressed their consent for the petitioner to continue as Nattamai and A. Arulanantham to continue as Kovil Maniam for the conduct of the aforesaid Church festival. It was further agreed that, upon the conclusion of the festival, the entire accounts relating to the festival expenditure should be placed before the Church community for transparency and, thereafter, the remaining balance amount, if any, should be deposited in the common bank account maintained for the Church.

6. However, during the year 2023, the said arrangement could not be implemented owing to the rivalry that had arisen between the factions. In the year 2024, the rival factions conducted the Church festival separately on two different dates. Subsequently, in the year 2025, the Church festival could not be conducted at all on account of the continuing dispute and rivalry between the parties. Aggrieved by the said situation, the petitioner filed W.P.(MD) No.884 of 2025 before this Court. However, the said writ petition was disposed of by recording that, by efflux of time, the festival period for that year had already elapsed. Thereafter, with the commencement of the festival for the succeeding year, the petitioner has filed the present writ petition in W.P.(MD) No.4225 of 2026 seeking the aforesaid relief.

7. The learned Government Advocate appearing for the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) submitted that the submissions made by the learned counsel for the petitioner are not entirely correct. According to the learned Government Advocate, during the peace committee meeting convened by the Revenue Divisional Officer in the year 2022, no person was recognised or permitted to conduct the Church festival in the capacity of either Nattamai or Kovil Maniam. On the contrary, it was resolved that the Church festival should be conducted jointly by all the villagers in the presence of the sixth respondent Priest.

8. The learned counsel appearing for the fourth respondent in W.P.(MD) No.4225 of 2026, who is also the petitioner in W.P.(MD) No.4236 of 2026, submitted that, at no point of time, had the fourth respondent's faction agreed to recognise the petitioner as Nattamai or the said Arulanantham as Kovil Maniam. According to the learned counsel, the petitioner, claiming himself to be the Nattamai, had excommunicated several villagers from participating in the affairs of the Church. It was further submitted that, being aggrieved by the conduct and attitude of the petitioner, the fourth respondent in W.P.(MD) No. 4225 of 2026, who is also the petitioner in W.P.(MD) No.4236 of 2026, seeks permission from this Court to conduct the Church festival separately. The learned counsel further contended that, out of the total of about 1,000 families belonging to the Church, his faction has 800 families that it was only the petitioner, who is the trouble monger and only exclusively because of his attitude during the year 2025, the church festival was not conducted.

9. The learned counsel further submitted that, during the year 2024, this Court had permitted both factions to celebrate the Church festival separately, pursuant to which the festivals were conducted peacefully and without any untoward incident. Therefore, it was contended that the same arrangement may be continued for the present year as well by permitting both factions to conduct the Church festival separately.

10. The learned counsel appearing for the fifth respondent submitted that the fifth respondent had already submitted a representation before the Revenue Divisional Officer seeking fixation of a date for the conduct of the Church festival.

11. The learned Government Advocate appearing for the respondent police submitted that complaints had already been received from both the rival factions, pursuant to which a CSR and a counter CSR were registered. It was further submitted that, after assessing the prevailing situation in the village and the likelihood of breach of peace, the impugned order came to be passed rejecting the request for permission to conduct the Church festival, apprehending eruption of law and order problem. He further submitted that, during the year 2025, Crime Nos.160 and 161 of 2025 came to be registered on account of the disputes between the rival factions and, in view of the prevailing law and order situation, the Church festival was ultimately cancelled.

12. Heard the learned counsel on both sides and carefully perused the materials placed before this Court.

13. Considering the rival submissions made by the learned counsel appearing on either side and having regard to the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case, this Court is of the view that an Advocate Commissioner is required to be appointed to ensure the peaceful conduct of the Church festival. Accordingly, Mr. Father Savarimuthu, M/s. Father Xavier Associates, is appointed as the Advocate Commissioner for the purpose of conducting temple festival from time to time in Punitha Senthiyahappaar Church, A.Vellodu, Dindigul District.

14. The Revenue Divisional Officer, Dindigul District is directed to convene a peace committee meeting on 06.08.2026 by issuing notice to the petitioner, the fourth and fifth respondents, and their respective factions, as well as to all other persons who are willing to participate in the peace committee. The said meeting shall be held in the presence of the Advocate Commissioner, Mr. Father Savarimuthu, M/s. Father Xavier Associates.

15. Pursuant to the deliberations in the peace committee meeting, a Festival Committee shall be constituted under the supervision of the Advocate Commissioner by providing equal representation to the rival factions, namely, five members each from the petitioner's faction, the fourth respondent's faction, and the fifth respondent's faction. The sixth respondent Priest shall also be associated with the said Committee for the conduct of the Church festival.

16. The Advocate Commissioner, in coordination with the Festival Committee and the sixth respondent Priest, shall organise and ensure the peaceful conduct of the Church festival scheduled to be held from 14.08.2026 to 16.08.2026. It is made clear that the third respondent shall facilitate the peaceful conduct of the festival and ensure that no untoward incident takes place.

17. It is further made clear that, until a proper election is conducted and a duly elected committee assumes office in accordance with law, the administration and conduct of the annual Church festival shall continue in the aforesaid manner under the supervision of the Advocate Commissioner. The respondent police are directed to afford adequate police protection for the peaceful conduct of the festival and shall hand over the key of the Church chariot to the Advocate Commissioner for the purpose of conducting the festival.

18. With the above directions, these writ petitions stand disposed of. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed.