Kanchipuram varadarja perumal temple order ITEM NOS.15 + 41 + 42 + 43 COURT NO.1 SECTION XII S U P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Petition(s) for Special Leave to Appeal (C) No(s). 2855/2026 [Arising out of impugned judgment and order dated 28-11-2025 in WP No. 12955/2022 passed by the High Court of Judicature at Madras] S.NARAYANAN Petitioner(s) VERSUS THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU & ORS. Respondent(s)

by Sekar Reporter · January 29, 2026

ITEM NOS.15 + 41 + 42 + 43 COURT NO.1 SECTION XII

S U P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

Petition(s) for Special Leave to Appeal (C) No(s). 2855/2026

[Arising out of impugned judgment and order dated 28-11-2025 in WP

No. 12955/2022 passed by the High Court of Judicature at Madras] S.NARAYANAN Petitioner(s)

VERSUS

THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU & ORS. Respondent(s)

(IA No. 16808/2026 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE IMPUGNED

JUDGMENT and IA No. 16809/2026 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T.)

WITH

ITEM NO. 41

Petition(s) for Special Leave to Appeal (C) No(s). 3680/2026

(IA No. 26440/2026 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE IMPUGNED

JUDGMENT and IA No. 26447/2026 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T.)

ITEM NO. 42

SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (CIVIL) Diary No(s). 4486/2026

(IA No. 27840/2026 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE IMPUGNED JUDGMENT, IA No. 27844/2026 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T., IA No. 27838/2026 – PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ ANNEXURES, IA No. 27847/2026 – PERMISSION TO FILE LENGTHY LIST OF DATES and IA No. 27842/2026 – PERMISSION TO FILE PETITION

(SLP/TP/WP/..)

AND

ITEM NO. 43

Petition(s) for Special Leave to Appeal (C) No(s). 3648/2026 (IA No. 26231/2026 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE IMPUGNED JUDGMENT, IA No. 26236/2026 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. and IA No.

26229/2026 – PERMISSION TO PLACE ADDITIONAL FACTS AND GROUNDS)

Date : 28-01-2026 This matter was called on for hearing today.

CORAM : HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE

HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE JOYMALYA BAGCHI

For Petitioner(s) :Mr. C.S. Vaidyanathan, Sr. Adv. in Item No.15 Mr. V. Raghavachari, Sr. Adv. Mr. Satish Parasaran, Sr. Adv. Mr. G. Balaji, AOR

Mr. Madhan Babu, Adv.

Mr. Prahalad Bhat, Adv.

Mr. Abhinav Parthasarathy, Adv.

Mr. T.E. Krishna, Adv.

Mr. R. Shricharan, Adv.

Mr. Shubhang Nair, Adv.

In Item No.41 Mr. Aravind P Datar, Sr. Adv. Mr. V. Raghavachari, Sr. Adv.

Mr. Satish Parasaran, Sr. Adv. Mr. G. Balaji, AOR Mr. Madhan Babu, Adv.

Mr. Prahalad Bhat, Adv.

Mr. Abhinav Parthasarathy, Adv.

Mr. Subhag Nair, Adv.

Mr. T.E. Krishna, Adv.

Mr. R. Shricharan, Adv.

Mr. Sivagnanam Karthikeyan, Adv. Mr. Mg Aravind Raj, Adv.

In Item No.42 Mrs. Aarthi Rajan, AOR

In Item No.43 Mr. Dama Seshadri Naidu, Sr. Adv.

Mr. S. Parthasarathy, Sr. Adv. Mr. V. Raghavachari, Sr. Adv.

Mr. Satish Parasaran, Sr. Adv.

Mr. Madhan Babu, Adv.

Mr. V. Shyamohan, Adv.

Mr. Prahalad Bhat, Adv.

Mr. Abhinav Parthasarathy, Adv.

Mr. Navin Balaji, Adv.

Mr. Subhang Nair, Adv.

Ms. Anshika Bajpai, Adv.

Ms. Vrinda Goel, Adv.

Mr. T. E. Krishna, Adv.

Mr. R. Shricharan, Adv.

M/S. Kmnp Law, AOR

For Respondent(s) :Mr. Nishanth Patil, AOR

Mr. Guru Krishna Kumar, Sr. Adv.

Mr. Kbs Rajan, Sr. Adv.

Mr. Bharpur Singh, Adv.

Ms. Varuni Mohan, Adv.

Ms. Priyanka Kannan, Adv.

Mr. Harsh Gupta, Adv.

Mr. Palaniandavan, Adv. Mr. Mv Mukunda, Advocate General

Ms. Anukriti Kudeshia, Adv.

Ms. Ayshwarya Chandar, AOR

Mr. C. Aryama Sundaram, Sr. Adv.

Mr. V. Srinivas Raghavan, Sr. Adv.

Mr. Kbs Rajan, Sr. Adv.

Ms. Pritha Srikumar Iyer, AOR Ms. Rohini Musa, Adv.

Mr. Abhishek Gupta, Adv.

Ms. Varuni Mohan, Adv.

Mr. Bharpur Singh, Adv. Mr. Atharv Gupta, Adv.

In Item No.42 Dr. K.B. Sounder Rajan, Sr. Adv. Mr. Sudarshan Rajan, AOR

Mr. Mahesh Kumar, Adv.

Ms. Srishti Sharma, Adv.

Mr. Ramesh Rawat, Adv.

Mr. Hitain Bajaj, Adv.

Mr. Sambhav Sharma, Adv.

Ms. Ria Setiya, Adv. Ms. Kashish, Adv.

Mr. Guru Krishna Kumar, Sr. Adv.

Ms. Ayshwarya Chandar, AOR

Mr. V. Srinivas Raghavan, Sr. Adv. Ms. Pritha Srikumar Iyer, AOR Mr. Atharv Gupta, Adv.

UPON hearing the counsel the Court made the following

O R D E R

1. Two sects i.e., (i) Thengalais and (ii) Vadakalais, both dedicated followers of Sri Ramanuja, are in a longstanding dispute with respect to the method and manner of making/offering prayers at Sri Devarajaswamy Temple in Tamil Nadu including the Arulmigu Varadarajaswamy Temple at Kanchipuram. During the course of preliminary hearing, we have impressed upon the parties to try the route of mediation and the learned senior counsel for the parties have graciously agreed to explore mediation so that the day to day rituals can be performed in an amicable manner. In this regard, we request Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, former Judge of this Court, who has also been the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court to act as the Principal Mediator. Justice Kaul may associate two persons of his choice, who are well conversant with Tamil and Sanskrit language, and the rituals and religious history of Tamil Nadu.

2. Both sides have agreed to approach Justice Kaul along with the copy of this order by tomorrow i.e., 29.01.2026.

3. We request Justice Kaul to accept this responsibility of delicate nature. We also request Justice Kaul to fix his own honorarium and that of his two associates in addition to the secretarial assistance that may be required by him.

4. Post the matters on 13.03.2026.

5. The parties are at liberty to make a mention as and when any intervention by this Court is required.

(NITIN TALREJA) (PREETHI T.C.)

ASTT. REGISTRAR-cum-PS ASSISTANT REGISTRAR