Indian SC upholds Madras HC order restricting Muslim prayers at Thiruparankundram Hill

Indian SC upholds Madras HC order restricting Muslim prayers at Thiruparankundram Hill
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The Supreme Court on Monday declined to interfere with a Madras High Court order that placed restrictions on Muslim prayer practices at the Sultan Sikandar Badushah Auliya Dargah, located on Thiruparankundram hill in Madurai, Maktoob Media reported.

In October 2025, the High Court issued an order banning the consumption of meat on the hill and limiting prayers at the Nellithoppu area—a 33-cent parcel of land owned by the Dargah—to the occasions of Ramzan and Bakri-Id. The ruling had drawn criticism for curtailing long-standing religious practices.

The matter reached the Supreme Court through an appeal filed by M. Imam Hussain, a devotee of the Dargah. A bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and P.B. Varale heard the case. Senior advocate Prashanth Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner, argued that there was no history of law and order issues at the site to justify such restrictions. He objected to the wording of the High Court order that confined prayers to specific festivals.

Bhushan also pointed out that the Nellithoppu land had been legally recognized as Muslim property by a trial court, a decision later upheld by the Privy Council.

The Supreme Court, however, noted that recent peace committee meetings indicated law and order concerns. Declining to intervene, the bench allowed the High Court order to stand.

Thiruparankundram hill is a prominent multi-faith site, hosting Hindu temples, a Sufi shrine, and ancient Jain relics.