Temple festival adal padal program permitted subject to safeguards and a 10 p.m. cutoff.

The petitioner challenged the second respondent’s order dated 3 October 2026 rejecting his request to conduct an Adal Padal programme during the Arulmighu Shri Ayyanar Swamy and Shri Alagunachi Amman Temple Festival at Sithanenthal Village on 7 October 2026.

He sought permission and adequate police protection for the event.

The matter was heard by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on 6 October 2026.

Whether the rejection order dated 3 October 2026 should be quashed and permission granted for the proposed Adal Padal programme.

Whether the programme should be subject to conditions governing its content, duration, and conduct.

The Court referred to two circulars issued by the Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu—Rc.No.159539/Crime.4(3)/2018, signed on 31 October 2018, and Rc.007301/GenlI(1)/2019, dated 9 April 2019—which contain instructions to Inspectors of Police concerning applications for permission to conduct cultural programmes.

The order cites no statute or judicial precedent.

Having noted the DGP circulars governing consideration of cultural-programme applications, the Court quashed the rejection order and allowed the event subject to detailed safeguards.

These conditions required the programme to be relevant to the temple or festival, end by 10 p.m., avoid obscene or undignified portrayals, double-meaning songs, alcohol, political or divisive content, and ensure that public harmony was not affected.

The Court also made organisers responsible for compliance and permitted the authorities to impose further conditions based on ground realities.

The Court permitted the Adal Padal programme on 7 October 2026 from 7 p.m. until no later than 10 p.m., subject to the stated conditions.

The order granted permission for the programme but did not expressly direct the respondents to provide adequate police protection.