Madras: The Madras High Court ruled that no caste can claim ownership of a temple or administer it based on caste identity. The Court clarified that such a practice is not a protected religious right under the Indian Constitution. Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy dismissed a plea seeking separate administration of a temple based on caste identity.
CHENNAI: Today, 24th Feb, The Madras High Court has refused to stop Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore from organizing its Maha Shivaratri celebrations on February 26 and 27, 2025. A division bench comprising Justices SM Subramaniam and K Rajasekar dismissed a petition that sought restrictions on the event due to concerns about noise pollution and sewage disposal.
Madras: The Madras High Court has asked the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to submit an urgent report regarding a petition seeking to stop permission for Maha Shivaratri celebrations at the Isha Foundation. Thousands of devotees are expected to visit the spiritual center throughout the night on February 26, raising concerns over environmental violations.
The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended that Justice Venkatachari Lakshminarayanan and Justice Periyasamy Vadamala of the Madras High Court be appointed as permanent judges. As of February 1, 2025, the court has 65 judges against a sanctioned strength of 75, indicating 10 vacancies, aimed at improving judicial efficiency.
![[Defamation Case Against Rahul Gandhi] Madras HC Directs Publishers of Junior Vikatan to Pay Rs.25 Lakh Compensation to DMK Leader T.R. Baalu](https://i0.wp.com/lawchakra.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Rahul-gandhi-1.webp?resize=447%2C367&ssl=1)
Madras: The Madras High Court directed the Tamil magazine Junior Vikatan to pay Rs 25 lakh as compensation to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader TR Baalu. The Court found that the magazine had published defamatory and false news against him without verifying facts. The ruling was passed by Justice AA Nakkiran on February 4, 2025.
The Madras High Court has instructed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to stop harassing journalists regarding the identity leak of a sexual harassment victim at Anna University. Journalists complained of unnecessary questioning and mobile phone seizures. The court urged journalists to cooperate while emphasizing victim privacy and press freedom amidst ongoing legal investigations.
Madras: The Madras High Court has raised concerns over the continued use of the term “Gender Identity Disorder” to describe transgender individuals and those belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community. Justice Anand Venkatesh strongly objected to such terminology, emphasizing that it wrongly suggests that being LGBTQIA+ is a disorder when, in reality, it is a natural identity.
The Madras High Court dismissed Nithyananda’s appeal to be recognized as head of four mutts in Tamil Nadu, affirming the HR&CE Department’s authority to appoint successors. The court noted no merit in Nithyananda’s claims of residing in a UN-recognized nation and emphasized that ongoing criminal cases against him should proceed independently of this ruling.
The Supreme Court of India stayed the Madras High Court’s directive for a departmental inquiry against Tamil Nadu Police regarding an FIR leak in a sexual assault case involving an Anna University student. The state argued the leak was due to a technical glitch, not negligence, while still agreeing to the formation of a Special Investigation Team for the case.
