(Prayer: Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the first respondent to implement the Peace Committee decision dated 30.07.2022 and consequently direct the first and second respondent to ensure participation of the petitioner and other Priestly families in the Arulmigu Ayyanar Temple affairs situated in Old Tholaiyen No.127 and New Survey No.127/1 at Kallankadu, Kuruvikarambai (Panchayat) Indira Colony, Peravurani (Taluk) Thanjavur (District ) and to prevent any law and order problem.)

1. Seeking direction to the first respondent to implement the Peace Committee decision dated 30.07.2022 and consequently, direct the first and second respondent to ensure participation of the petitioner and other Priestly families in “Arulmigu Ayyanar Temple affairs” situated in Old Tholaiyen No.127 and New Survey No.127/1 at Kallankadu, Kuruvikarambai (Panchayat) Indira Colony, Peravurani (Taluk) Thanjavur (District), this writ petition is filed.

2. Since no adverse order is going to be passed against the third respondent, notice to him is dispensed with.

3. The learned counsel for petitioner submitted that in New Survey No.127/1, there exists the petitioner's family deity temple, namely “Arulmighu Ayyanar Temple along with the associated deities, namely Shri Pushpambikai, Shri Kamalambikai, Shri Chinna Karuppar, Shri Periya Karuppar, Shri Sannasi, Shri Kurathi Amman, Shri Thundikkaran, Shri Kaaliyammal, Shri Munnodiyar, Shri Muneeswarar, and Shri Nagammal”. The said temple has been worshipped by about 55 families belonging to Mutharaiyar community of the petitioner's Village, including the petitioner, for the past six generations. From the time of the petitioner's great-grandfather, his family have been serving as the hereditary priests of the said temple and presently, the petitioner is performing the duty as the priest. The priestly lineage families included Veerappan, Mahalingam, Veeramani, Palanivelu, Saraboji, Rajarajan, Chinnappa, Mathiyazhagan and Sivaraman.

4. The temple was constructed before 70 years and electricity connection stands in the name of the petitioner. Since that temple had become dilapidated in the year 2012, 55 families collectively decided to renovate the temple by collecting a sum of Rs.5,000/- from each family. In this regard, certain disputes had arisen between the persons, as a result of which, renovation work could not be completed. Thereafter, the third respondent attempted to conduct Pongal and worship in the temple, excluding the priestly lineage families, including the petitioner, resulting in law and order problems between two groups. Therefore, based on the recommendation of the second respondent police, a Peace Committee Meeting was convened on 30.07.2022 before the first respondent.

5. In the said meeting, it was resolved that the earlier accounts need not be discussed and new administrators shall maintain proper accounts for future collections and expenditure and the details of collection and expenditure relating to temple festival, construction and kumbabhishegam shall be furnished to every family by way of notice and that the existing customary practices relating to priestly duties and rituals shall continue. Accordingly, new office bearers were selected in the said meeting, wherein one Gopal was selected as President, Chellaiyan as Vice-President, petitioner was elected as Secretary and Alagarsamy as Co-ordinator and many others were also included as administrators.

6. It was also decided that the Pongal festival scheduled on 31.07.2022 would be postponed and conducted on 07.08.2022 and the same was conducted accordingly. Subsequently, in the year 2025, it was decided to demolish the old temple and construct a new temple, for which, a new committee was formed, in which, the petitioner was selected as President and the third respondent was selected as Treasurer and it was unanimously resolved that each of the 55 families shall contribute a sum of Rs.30,000/- for construction of the temple. In this regard, another dispute has arisen and hence, this writ petition.

7. Mr.C.Satheesh, learned Government Advocate (Civil side) and Mr.M.Sakthikumar, learned Government Advocate (Crl.side), on instructions, submitted that Peace Committee Meeting was conducted only in the year 2022, and the order of the Tahsildar would bind the respective parties only for a period of three years. As of now, there is no justification for the petitioner to seek a resolution based on the earlier decision.

8. Heard the learned counsel on either side and carefully perused the materials available on record.

9. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the first respondent is directed to convene a Peace Committee Meeting afresh, requiring the petitioner as well as the third respondent to appear and resolve the dispute. The said exercise shall be completed within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. The second respondent police is also directed to provide necessary police protection to the respective parties for conducting the Kumbabhishekam of the aforesaid temple, if required by the respective parties, upon payment of the necessary fees in accordance with G.O.(Ma).No.139, Home (Pol- VIII) Department, dated 04.03.2019.

10. With the above directions, this Writ Petition is disposed of.