CHENNAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the Secretary and the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) to appear through video conference on December 17 in connection with a contempt of court petition linked to the lighting of Karthigai Deepam atop the Tiruparankundram hill.

The order was passed by Justice GR Swaminathan while hearing a contempt plea filed over the non-implementation of his earlier directive to permit the lighting of the ceremonial lamp at the Deebathoon pillar site, claimed by one section as a mere survey stone, on the hill during the recent Karthigai Deepam festival.

The controversy arose after the DMK government moved an appeal against the direction and declined to implement the single judge’s order, citing law-and-order concerns,

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