Published on : 10 Dec 2025, 6:44 am 4 min read

The controversy over the lighting of the Karthigai deepam (lamp) on a deepathon (stone lamp pillar) atop the sacred Thiruparankundram hillock has escalated with the Madras High Court summoning two senior State officials to answer why the Court's directive to permit the lighting of the lamp has been breached [ Rama Ravikumar v. KJ Praveenkumar IAS ].

Justice GR Swaminathan yesterday ordered Tamil Nadu's Chief Secretary and its Additional Director General of Police of Law and Order, Chennai, to appear before the Court through video conference on December 17.

Notably, the judge has also commented that there appears to be a pattern when it comes to orders on such issues being defied by local authorities.

In the present case,

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