Ganabathy idol order full madras high court

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 06.09.2021
CORAM :

THE HON’BLE MR.SANJIB BANERJEE, CHIEF JUSTICE AND
THE HON’BLE MR.JUSTICE P.D.AUDIKESAVALU W.P.No.18764 of 2021
K.Gopinath … Petitioner

Vs

1 State of Tamil Nadu
Rep by its Secretary to Government Department of Home Affairs
St. George Fort, Chennai – 600 009.

2 The Director General of Police
Dr. Radhakrishnan Road Mylapore
Chennai – 600004. … Respondents

Prayer: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus directing the respondents to consider the representation of the petitioner dated 02.08.2021 and take necessary action to notify Standard Operational Procedures to Celebrate Sri Vinayagar Chaturthi Festival falling on 10th September 2021.
For the Petitioner : Mr.M.Ramamoorthi For the Respondents : Mr.R.Shunmugasundaram,
Advocate-General,
Assisted by Mr.P.Muthukumar,
State Government Pleader

ORDER

(Order of the Court was made by The Hon’ble Chief Justice)

The petitioner accepts that the State has adequately addressed the concerns of the petitioner pertaining to the Vinayak Chaturthi celebrations coming up on September 10, 2021.

2. Learned Advocate-General appearing for the State says that guidelines in such regard have been issued by the Union Government. The necessary instructions have been forwarded to State Governments and Union Territories and appropriate measures have been put in place in this State pursuant to the guidelines issued by the Union Government.

3. Since the petitioner accepts that the petitioner’s concerns have been addressed by the respondent authorities and it is evident that there is a plan in place to ensure that Vinayak Chaturthi is celebrated but no compromise is made in respect of the Covid protocol, no further order is found to be necessary on this petition.

4. The petitioner, however, refers to two aspects: pertaining to the opening of temples on the relevant date and how worshipped idols may be dealt with.

5. The instructions issued by the State indicate that smaller temples would be kept open on the relevant date. However, the Covid protocol should always be maintained at all times. As far as Ganesh idols are concerned, the State says that in keeping with the practice followed the previous year, the worshipped idols may be kept outside the doors for HR & CE department personnel to collect the same and immerse the idols in a regulated manner in any appropriate waterbody.

W.P.No.18764 of 2021 is disposed of without any order as to

costs.

Index : no sra

(S.B., CJ.) (P.D.A., J.) 06.09.2021

THE HON’BLE CHIEF JUSTICE

AND P.D.AUDIKESAVALU, J.

(sra)
To:

1 The Secretary to Government Department of Home Affairs
St. George Fort, Chennai – 600 009.

2 The Director General of Police
Dr. Radhakrishnan Road Mylapore Chennai – 600004.

W.P.No.18764 of 2021

06.09.2021

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