In an extraordinary and unprecedented judicial dressing-down, the Madras High Court’s Madurai Bench has exposed the DMK government’s blatant contempt for the rule of law, constitutional propriety, and Hindu religious rights. Justice G.R. Swaminathan’s order reads like a charge-sheet against a State administration that deliberately chose confrontation over compliance, and political arrogance over constitutional duty.
The case revolved around a simple issue: allowing devotees to light the sacred Karthigai Deepam at the Deepathoon of Thirupparankundram Hill. On 01.12.2025, the Court had clearly and unequivocally allowed devotees to perform the ritual. Yet the DMK administration, instead of complying, went into sabotage mode.
Despite receiving a copy of the order “immediately” and despite the event being scheduled for 6 PM on 03.12.2025, the State machinery did nothing to honour the Court’s direction. As the judge observed, the authorities “remained inactive,” thereby defying the order of this Court
When devotees approached the Court stating the order was about to be breached, Justice Swaminathan noted that “it was obvious that contempt had been committed.” He reminded the DMK administration that neither rank nor position places anyone above the law. Citing the Supreme Court’s recent judgment, he reiterated that “Disobedience… attacks the very foundation of the rule of law… no one, howsoever high they may be, may think they are above the law.”
DMK Govt Tried To Sabotage Court Order
After the Court permitted the petitioners to climb the hill with CISF protection to light the Deepam, what happened next is nothing short of a constitutional horror story.
When the devotees and CISF team reached the foothill, Madurai Police Commissioner J. Loganathan, IPS physically blocked them — openly declaring that he “was not in a position to respect the order of this Court” because of a prohibitory order issued by the District Collector a day earlier under Section 163 of BNSS.
This was not law enforcement.
This was law sabotage.
The Court minced no words: it declared that the Collector’s order was passed “only to nullify the directions given by this Court” and to give the police “a convenient reason to defy” the judicial mandate.
The judge invoked Article 261 of the Constitution, which mandates nationwide enforceability of judicial orders, making the police duty-bound to assist — not obstruct. “They cannot defy for any reason whatsoever,” the order stresses.
“Sound The Death Knell Of Democracy”
In a damning indictment, even the Division Bench dismissed the appeal filed by the Collector and Commissioner, calling it an attempt “with ulterior motive to preempt contempt action.”
Justice Swaminathan’s words reflect the gravity of the situation created by the DMK government:
The State administration “has decided to cock a snook at this Court’s order”
Defying the judiciary would “sound the death knell of democracy itself”
Officers cannot choose to obey or ignore court orders; doing so would “lead to anarchy” and must be “nipped in the bud”
In a striking historical reference, the judge compared the situation to the U.S. civil rights era, noting how President Eisenhower deployed the military when federal police refused to enforce desegregation orders — urging the Madurai Police Commissioner to “take inspiration.”
Court Quashes DMK Govt’s Prohibitory Order
Calling the District Magistrate’s order unconstitutional, impermissible, and void, the Court quashed it outright.
Then, in a direct command issued in the presence of the Police Commissioner over video conference, the Court ordered the police to give “fullest protection” to the devotees to climb the hill and light the Deepam — warning that “harsh consequences will ensue” if the DMK administration again disobeys.
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