In a setback to the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government, the Madras High Court’s Madurai Bench on Tuesday upheld an order allowing a lamp to be lit at the ancient stone pillar atop the Thiruparankundram hills in Madurai.

The case revolved around whether Karthigai Deepam could be lit at the stone lamp pillar located near the Hazarath Sultan Sikkandar Badhusha Avuliya Dargah. The state and other authorities had opposed the practice, citing custom, law and order concerns, and rival claims over the site.

A division bench of Justice G Jayachandran and Justice KK Ramakrishnan found no merit in these objections. The court noted that neither the state nor the dargah had produced any convincing material to show that lighting the lamp was barred by religious texts. It also rejected the argument that the issue had already been settled in earlier cases.

Taking a strong view, the bench said it was hard to believe that allowing a lamp to be lit on one day in a year could disturb public peace, and remarked that such disturbance would occur only if backed by the state itself.

The appeals arose from a December 1 order of a single judge directing the Arulmigu Subramania Swamy Temple to light the Karthigai Deepam at the stone pillar. When the order was not followed, devotees were permitted to light the lamp themselves, leading to contempt proceedings that are still pending.

The state government, police, the dargah and the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board had challenged the order, arguing that devotees had no enforceable right and that courts could not interfere with long-standing practices. Rejecting these arguments, the High Court upheld the single judge’s directions, clearing the way for lighting the lamp at the Thiruparankundram hills.