Only local committees can seek permission for dance programmes in temples: HC

Chennai: The Madras high court has made it clear that permission to organise dance programmes during temple festivals will be granted only to a duly constituted committee comprising 10 members from the village concerned and not to any individual.
Justice R Sureshkumar passed the order on Wednesday on a plea moved by K J Selvakumar, a resident of Sivagiri, Erode district, seeking permission to conduct dance/cultural programme at Arulmigu Sri Maga Kaliamman Kovil festival in Kollankovil, Kandasamipalayam village, on January 4.
Usually stereotype orders would be passed on such pleas, allowing the individual petitioners – claiming to be the residents of villages concerned – to organise such programmes by imposing certain general conditions.
But since court orders granting such permissions were found to be misused by the individuals, the court has directed the police official concerned to ensure that such programmes are organised only through a village committee comprising local residents.
When the present petition came up for hearing, the judge was surprised to note that apart from minimum details about the temple function and its venue, no other information about the petitioner or his capacity to move the court seeking such permission were mentioned.
“The petition has no details about the committee organising the function. This plea has been moved by the petitioner who claims to be a member of such committee. But whether the committee has been constituted with the consent of the villagers, is not known,” Justice Sureshkumar said.
Noting that such practice must not be entertained, the bench directed the police concerned to find out whether a committee is formed for organising the function with the help of revenue inspector or village administrative officer and ensure that such committee members are held responsible for any violations or untoward incidents.