Police must enforce agreed worship schedules and provide protection during temple festivals.

The petitioner sought police protection for the Arulmigu Selliyamman Temple festival at Palakkapatti, scheduled for 6–8 October 2026, citing a risk of confrontation between two groups over worship arrangements.

At a peace meeting convened in the presence of the Village Administrative Officer, the parties agreed to worship separately on 6 October: the A-Party from 6.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. and the B-Party, to which the petitioner belonged, from 8.30 p.m. to 10.00 p.m.

They also agreed not to take out Maavilakku or Karagam processions or go around the village that day, and to comply with police directions.

Whether the petitioner was entitled to police protection for the peaceful conduct of the temple festival in light of the apprehended confrontation between the groups.

Whether the police should be directed to enforce the time schedule and other terms agreed at the peace meeting.

The Court cited no specific statute or precedent.

It applied the principle that the police may be directed to provide adequate protection and take appropriate action to preserve public peace and maintain law and order.

In this case, the Court treated the parties’ peace-meeting agreement as the governing arrangement and directed that it be followed; violations could result in appropriate action, including cancellation of the permission granted to the offending party.

The parties had reached a specific agreement allocating worship times and restricting processions, and had been warned that a law-and-order disturbance could lead to cancellation of permission.

The Court considered that enforcing this arrangement, alongside police protection, would adequately address the petitioner’s apprehension.

It therefore directed the police to ensure compliance by both parties and prohibited conduct likely to cause confrontation or disturb public peace.

Both parties were required to comply with the peace-meeting terms, including the prohibition on Maavilakku and Karagam processions and village rounds that day; the police could take action in accordance with law, including cancelling the concerned party’s permission, in the event of a violation.

No costs were ordered.