The Madras High Court was dealing with a plea regarding the Sri Kaliamman Temple Festival in Madurai District. (Image generated using AI)Madras High Court news: Directing that obscene displays, undignified portrayals of women, and double-meaning songs are strictly prohibited, the Madras High Court has granted conditional permission for cultural programs, including Valli Thirumanam Drama and Dance Program in connection with the Sri Kaliamman Temple Festival in Madurai District.Justice L Victoria Gowri was dealing with a plea filed by one S Arun, who had sought direction to local authorities to provide police protection and permission for the events scheduled on March 31 and April 1.“No women participating in the cultural program would be depicted or portrayed in an obscene or undignified manner either in the form of clothing or otherwise,” the court said on March 27. Justice L Victoria Gowri heard the matter on March 27.Also Read | ‘Not appreciable‘: Madras High Court slams officials over ‘obscene’ dances at famous Tamil Nadu templeWhile granting the direction, the court referred to circulars issued by the Director General of police, Tamil Nadu, in 2018 and 2019, which provide standardised instructions for considering applications for cultural programs.Imposing a stringent set of conditions to ensure public order and decency, the court permitted the “Valli Thirumanam” drama on March 31 and the “Adal Padal” program on April 1.Court’s condition for organisersThe organisers, who shall be the responsible members of the festival committee, shall ensure that only cultural programs having some relevance to the temple or the festival in question are conducted, and there shall not be any obscene display/dance being conducted.All programs must conclude no later than 10 pm, and police are authorised to stop any event exceeding this limit.The music that shall be used shall be in sync with the precincts of the temple, and double-meaning songs should not be played.There shall be no supply of alcohol or any intoxicating material in and around the area where the cultural program is scheduled to be held.None of the songs or dances performed in the said programme shall exhibit any political tone, tenor, or colour, nor shall they relate to or promote any religion, community, or caste.Organisers shall not erect any digital banners/placards on either side of the arterial roads, platforms, walkways/major roads, or any other roads.The function should not affect caste, religious, or communal harmony and shall be conducted without any discrimination.The police are empowered to stop the programme if it exceeds the permitted time.If any untoward incident takes place, the organisers of the programme will be made responsible for the same.The organisers shall have to obtain all other required permissions from the authorities concerned.Any other conditions that the authority concerned considers to impose according to the ground reality.In case of violation of any conditions, it is open to the authorities to initiate such action as is required under law, and the persons who are the organisers/committee members shall be held responsible.Other court’s rulings regarding temple festivalsThe Madras High Court, after observing non-cooperation from rival groups for conducting a temple festival, warned them that there would be “no festival this year” before directing a state-led celebration to avoid law and order problems.Justice A D Jagadish Chandira was dealing with a case where one S Senkottaiyan Dharmakartha sought directions to restrict the police authorities from permitting or providing protection to any other person to conduct any festival separately, in his allegedly private temple, Sree Maha Mariamman Temple situated in Moliyappalli village.Story continues below this ad“If the petitioner and the rival parties are not able to come together and conduct a temple festival, it is better that no temple festival is conducted… Since it is contended that the temple festival is going to be held from 17.02.2026…there shall be a direction to the Inspector, HR & CE, Thiruchengode to conduct the festival this year,” the high court said in its February 13 order.Also Read | Yes to ‘karagattam’ but stick to outfits from 1989 movie: Madras High Court allows traditional folk dance at temple festivalThe Madras High Court has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the “reluctance” of authorities to curb obscene dance performances during the Desara festival at the Arulmigu Mutharamman Thirukovil temple in Kulasekarapattinam.A division bench of Justices Anita Sumanth and C Kumarappan was dealing with the PIL filed against the failure of the state authorities to implement the court direction to curb the obscene dance and music programs during the Navaratri festival in Kulasekarapattinam.“It is pertinent to mention here that, in the past, this court has already taken cognisance of the grievance raised by the petitioner and has also passed various directions; undoubtedly, the state is bound by those earlier directions,” the court observed in January.Jagriti Rai works with The Indian Express, where she writes from the vital intersection of law, gender, and society. Working on a dedicated legal desk, she focuses on translating complex legal frameworks into relatable narratives, exploring how the judiciary and legislative shifts empower and shape the consciousness of citizens in their daily lives. Expertise Socio-Legal Specialization: Jagriti brings a critical, human-centric perspective to modern social debates. Her work focuses on how legal developments impact gender rights, marginalized communities, and individual liberties. Diverse Editorial Background: With over 4 years of experience in digital and mainstream media, she has developed a versatile reporting style. Her previous tenures at high-traffic platforms like The Lallantop and Dainik Bhaskar provided her with deep insights into the information needs of a diverse Indian audience. Academic Foundations: Post-Graduate in Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), India’s premier media training institute. Master of Arts in Ancient History from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), providing her with the historical and cultural context necessary to analyze long-standing social structures and legal evolutions. ... Read More © IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd