HC stays contempt proceedings in the Thiruparankundram deepam case

Madurai: A division bench of Madras high court has stayed the contempt of court proceedings initiated by a single judge against the Madurai district collector and the Thiruparankundram temple authorities in the Karthigai Deepam case.A bench of justice N Sathish Kumar and justice M Jothiraman granted the interim stay order while hearing a batch of appeals preferred by the authorities, including Madurai district collector and the Madurai city commissioner of police, challenging the orders passed by the single bench on the contempt proceedings in the Thiruparankundram deepam case. Further hearing of the appeals has been posted for April 8.On March 4, Justice G R Swaminathan had posted the contempt proceedings in the Thiruparankundram deepam case to March 18, after the board of trustees of the Subramaniya Swamy temple in Thiruparankundram submitted that the court's suggestion to permit five persons to offer symbolic prayers (not lighting of lamp) to the deepathoon atop Thiruparankundram hill needed to be deliberated and a careful decision had to be taken after consulting the HR and CE department.On his part, the Madurai district collector, K J Praveen Kumar, had earlier filed an affidavit stating that the district administration was clear that it would be able to implement the high court's order only if there is no law and order situation in the area. He also said the prohibitory orders issued under Section 163 of BNSS, 2023 did not contemplate any hindrance to temple officials lighting the lamp in accordance with the judgment of the high court.During the last hearing, Justice Swaminathan had said: "I suggest that respect to the order passed by this court can be shown by permitting a group of exactly five persons to be named by this court to go to the lower peak of the hillock where deepathoon lies so that symbolic prayers can be offered. I further indicate that this entire exercise can be confined to 15 minutes. This is only a suggestion and not a direction."