Madurai, Jan. 7 -- The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday upheld Justice GR Swaminathan's order regarding the lighting of lamps on the "Deepathoon" in Tirupparankundram temple, a landmark ruling that promptly garnered appreciation from the people and the opposition parties, including the BJP.

The bench, consisting of Justices G Jayachandran and KK Ramakrishnan, observed that the district administration ought to have treated the issue as an opportunity to bridge the gap between the communities through mediation.

It further held that, since the hill is a protected site, any activity there must strictly comply with the Act's provisions. The Court clarified that the lamp may be lit and the number of persons permitted can be f...