Justice G.R. Swaminathan of the Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) summoned Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary and the Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order) to appear via video on December 17 at 3 p.m. The summons relates to a contempt petition about lighting the Karthigai Deepam at the pillar on Thirupparankundram hill. The judge also made the Union Home Secretary a respondent in the case. The judge said, “I notice a definite pattern. I am certain that officials at the district level would not dare so brazenly to defy the orders of this court.” He reminded officials that they must follow the law, not illegal oral orders. “I have already ordered notice in the contempt petition. It is beyond dispute that the order of this court has been breached repeatedly.” He added that repeated breaches are considered wilful disobedience. Officials must explain their actions. Since the problem exists beyond one district, he called on the highest state officers to clarify if they will issue new instructions to their staff. He stated, “I am not here to throw up my hands and helplessly cry, ‘O Father, Forgive Them, for they do not know what they are doing’.” The court noted that a Murugan statue on a hill in Painkulam village, Kanniyakumari district, was removed by the Collector but ordered reinstated by the court. Yet the administration refused to act. Similar issues happened in Perumal Kovilpatti, Dindigul district. The judge said he might seek inputs from the Union Home Secretary after talking to the Chief Secretary and Additional Director-General of Police. The court also reviewed a report by the Deputy Commandant of the CISF attached to the High Court. Madurai Police Commissioner J. Loganathan stopped a CISF contingent with 200 police from proceeding, claiming the court order lacked the judge’s signature and citing a prohibitory order by the District Magistrate. The judge explained that on December 3, the police could cite the prohibitory order, but on December 4 they had no excuse to disobey the court. The prohibitory order was quashed and the court's order was issued in the Police Commissioner's presence. The Police Commissioner avoided the spot and gave charge to Deputy Commissioner of Police A.G. Inigo Divyan, who was also served a statutory notice along with Collector K.J. Praveen Kumar and Executive Officer Yagna Narayanan. The judge also noted, “I first proceeded on the premise that the Supreme Court was seized of the matter. It turns out that the State filed a Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court in a defective manner. I, therefore, conclude that as of this moment, the Supreme Court is not seized of the issue. Admittedly, no interim order has been obtained by the appellants. ... the order passed by this court is still holding good.”