TN Deepam Row | "Lamp Can Be Lit On Hilltop": High Court Upholds Order In Deepam Row
The Madurai High Court has upheld a single judge's order directing the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam at the stone pillar atop Tamil Nadu's Thiruparankundram in the city. According to a division bench of Justice G Jayachandran and Justice KK Ramakrishnan, the issue over the lighting of the 'deepam' has been "politicised unnecessarily". The case arose from a petition filed by Hindu Tamil Party leader Rama Ravikumar, seeking directions to light the Karthigai Deepam (lamp) at the hilltop pillar. On December 1 last year, Justice GR Swaminathan allowed the petition and ordered that the ceremonial lamp be lit on the festival day. However, the order was not implemented after the authorities cited possible law and order concerns.
