Temple-festival claims must conform to the civil court’s decree governing worship and administration.

The petitioner, claiming to represent one branch of the descendants of Arumuga Konar, sought police protection to conduct a temple festival scheduled for 17–19 August 2026.

The petitioner’s pending suit, O.S. No. 85 of 2023, was subsequently decreed in part on 18 September 2026, recognising family members’ rights of worship and providing for temple administration by six family branches on a rotational basis.

Whether the petitioner could obtain a direction under Article 226 for police protection to conduct the temple festival amid a dispute with other family branches over the right to conduct it.

Whether the parties’ rights and conduct of the festival should be governed by the civil court’s decree in O.S. No. 85 of 2023.

The petition invoked the High Court’s writ jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution.

The Court relied on the decree in O.S. No. 85 of 2023, which declared the temple to be a family temple, affirmed the descendants’ rights of worship, and set out a rotational arrangement for administration.

The Court noted that the parties had previously sought competing police-protection orders and that the underlying rights were already the subject of a comprehensive civil suit.

After the civil court decreed the suit and established rights of worship and a rotational management arrangement, the High Court declined to grant separate festival-related relief and directed the parties to follow that decree.

The Court directed the parties to abide by the decree in O.S. No. 85 of 2023 in accordance with law. It did not grant the requested police protection for the petitioner’s proposed festival.