The Hindu : Front Page : Yet another PIL on Kandadevi car festival

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 06, 2006

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Yet another PIL on Kandadevi car festival

Mohamed Imranullah S.

Petitioner seeks appointment of an `observer committee'

MADURAI: Dealing with yet another public interest litigation (PIL) in connection with the conduct of the annual car festival of Sri Sornamurtheeswarar Temple at Kandadevi in Sivaganga district, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Sivaganga district administration to "scrupulously" adhere to the directions passed by the Principal seat in Chennai on the issue last year.

Though the litigant, claiming to be a social activist, had prayed for constituting an `observer committee' to find out whether the Government had made necessary arrangements to ensure that people from all communities are allowed to pull the car on July 9, a Division Bench, comprising Justice F.M. Ibrahim Kalifulla and Justice P. Murgesen, said it is sufficient to direct the district administration to ensure that every one who wish to participate in the festival shall be allowed to do so to their fullest satisfaction irrespective of caste or creed.

"In the light of the... earlier orders (passed last year), which we have reiterated in this order, we are of the view that the prayer of the petitioner for constituting any observer committee is not required," the Bench said while disposing of the petition.

The First Bench of the High Court headed by the Chief Justice on June 16, 2005, had said that the District Collector-cum-District Magistrate must act fairly to all castes and communities and ensure that everyone is given equal respect in the car festival. Then, the Court had cautioned the Collector that he would be personally held responsible if the orders were not complied with and made it clear that the orders would hold good not only for 2005 but also for the future years to come.

Referring to the apprehension of the police that there might be a law and order problem, the First Bench had said: "In our opinion, over 99 per cent of the people belong to different castes, communities, ethnic groups, etc., are good and peace-loving people and it is only one per cent or even less who are mischievous. Hence, we see no reason as to why there should be any law and order problem." The Bench had also clarified that the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe community should not be merely given a token representation as alleged by some of them.

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