Chennai, January 6: The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday upheld Justice GR Swaminathan's order regarding the lighting of lamps on the "Deepathoon" in Tirupparankundram temple.

The bench, consisting of Justices G Jayachandran and KK Ramakrishnan, observed that the district administration ought to have treated the issue as an opportunity to bridge the gap between the communities through mediation.

It further held that, since the hill is a protected site, any activity there must strictly comply with the Act's provisions. The Court clarified that the lamp may be lit and the number of persons permitted can be fixed, subject to consultation with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Petitioner Rajesh called the court's order remarkable, stating that the lamp should be lit on a Deepathoon and the temple administration should make the necessary arrangements for it. He said that the arguments presented by the state government into the matter were rejected by the court.

Rajesh asserted that the verdict is a victory for Hindus in Tamil Nadu and for devotees of Murugan.

"The court has delivered a remarkable verdict. The government's appeal petition has been dismissed. The lamp should be lit on a Deepathoon and the temple administration should make the necessary arrangements for it. The arguments presented by the government today, citing the possibility of law and order issues, were rejected by the court, which observed that they reflected the government's inaction. This verdict is a victory for the Hindus of Tamil Nadu and for Murugan devotees, including students," he said. (ANI)