The Madras High Court in the case S Murugesan v. The Commissioner HR&CE and others observed and has dismissed a public interest litigation filed by a man wherein seeking postponement of Panguni festival celebrations in the light of public examination.
The bench comprising of Acting Chief Justice T Raja and Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy in the case observed and has held that while it was being important for not causing any inconvenience to the students who are preparing for the exam and stopping an annual temple festival was not the solution. However, it has been directed by the court that the concerned village authorities should not use loudspeakers on the days of the examination.
The court observed that no doubt children can’t be inconvenienced but stopping the festival is not a solution. Thus, the children can be made to prepare in a secluded place during the day. Exam is not only life. Festivals are also being important.
It has been submitted by the petitioner before the court that both the son and daughter of the petitioner were preparing for the board exams which are scheduled to be conducted in the months of March and April.
The temples of Sri Sarvasithi Vinayagar, Sri Mariyamman, Sri Muniyappan Kadakadappan, Sri Kaaliyamman temples issued an invitation for the “panguni” festival which being one of the grandest festival which is happening in the month of March for about a month till the month of April.
The bench observed that there being several schools who will be functioning in the vicinity of the temples, the petitioner also submitted that the celebrations would adversely affect the preparation of the students and would also be a source of distraction. Thus, it has also been argued by him that the authorities should not have placed the temple festivities on priority and has granted permission prior to the examinations. Further, the petitioner seek directions to forbear the conduct of festivals and to postpone the same to another time.
However, the court was not being in favour of the said argument. The court noted that thousands of children were preparing for the examinations while battling hurdles and thus an entire festival could not be stopped and this cannot be the solution to the same.
The said court also took a note the submissions made by the State that anti-noise pollution norms will be strictly adhered to by the village authorities and all security arrangements will be made.