Madras High Court Weekly Round-Up: August 25 to August 31, 2025

NOMINAL INDEX

ABC v. XYZ, 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 285

Perumal v. The Commissioner of Prohibition and Excise, 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 286

S Kumar v. The Commissioner of Police, 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 287

Sun TV Network Ltd v. Central Board of Film Certification, 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 288

SN Sathishwaran v. The Chief Secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu and Others, 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 289

Rama Ravikumar v. The State of Tamil Nadu and Others, 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 290

Vetri Maaran v. The Chairman and Another, 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 291

REPORT

Wife Holding Immovable Properties & Substantial Income Does Not Need Interim Maintenance To Live Comfortably: Madras High Court

Case Title: ABC v. XYZ

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 285

The Madras High Court has recently set aside an order of a Family Court asking a husband to pay Rs. 30,000 per month as interim maintenance to his wife till the pendency of a divorce petition filed by him.

Justice PB Balaji noted that the object of awarding interim maintenance, under Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act, was to ensure that the wife had sufficient income to enable her to maintain herself and the said sustenance is not merely survival but also allows her to lead a comfortable lifestyle that she would have otherwise had at the matrimonial home.

In the present case, the court noted that the wife had immovable properties in her name, and had substantial income through dividends. Thus, the court opined that the wife did not require any further interim maintenance to lead a comfortable lifestyle.

Recreational Clubs Selling Liquor Becoming 'Nuisance', Govt Allowing It Because Owners Are Influential/ Politicians: Madras High Court

Case Title: Perumal v. The Commissioner of Prohibition and Excise

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 286

Noting that several recreational clubs were only engaged in selling alcohol, the Madras High Court has issued directions to ensure that the licenses are issued only after verification and to take appropriate action.

The bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice G Arul Murugan noted that these clubs were becoming a nuisance for the people living near them. The bench also noted that the government was not taking any action against the clubs since in many instances, the clubs were owned by influential persons.

The bench has directed the Inspector General of Registration Department to ensure that the clubs selling liquor have a specific clause in their byelaws for selling of liquor by obtaining FL2 licence, which must be approved by due verification and in accordance with the law. The bench said that if a specific clause was not available in the byelaws, the registration of the club could be cancelled.

'God Can't Be Tool For Rivalry Or Social Dominance': Madras High Court In Pleas Seeking Installation Of Ganesha Idol

Case Title: S Kumar v. The Commissioner of Police

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 287

Disposing of a batch of pleas seeking permission to install idols of Lord Ganesh in connection with Vinayaka Chaturthi celebration, the Madras High Court remarked that most of the requests were driven by ego clashes and a desire to show dominance.

Justice B Pugalendhi deprecated the practice of using divinity to settle personal scores and remarked that God was a symbol of unity, not a tool for rivalry.

The court also observed that most of the temples at street corners were neglected throughout the year but during the time of Vinayaka Chaturthi, elaborate efforts were made to install giant idols. Calling this a paradox, the court said that the devotees must introspect and understand that true devotion was not about grandeur but consistent reverence and upkeep of places of worship.

Madras High Court Dismisses Plea Challenging "A" Certificate Granted For Rajnikanth Starrer 'Coolie' Movie

Case Title: Sun TV Network Ltd v. Central Board of Film Certification

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 288

The Madras High Court on Thursday (August 28) dismissed a plea challenging the 'A' certificate issued by the Central Board of Film Certification for the movie “Coolie” starring Rajnikanth, Nagarjuna, and Amir Khan, among others.

Justice TV Thamilselvi while pronouncing the order said that the "petition does not have any merits".

The high court passed the order on a petition moved by production company Sun TV Network.

"Disappointed" With TN Govt's Response, Madras High Court Constitutes SIT To Probe Illegal Organ Trafficking In State

Case Title: SN Sathishwaran v. The Chief Secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu and Others

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 289

The Madras High Court has set up a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct investigation into the allegations of human organ transplantation racket in the State, including kidney transplants.

Noting that the State's response was "disappointing", the bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice G Arul Murugan has said that the SIT will be monitored by the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court. The court has directed the SIT to submit reports before the Registrar (Additional Registrar General) or the Registrar (Judicial) of the Madurai bench periodically.

Hindu Marriage Not 'Religious Purpose': Madras High Court Quashes GO Permitting Use Of Temple Funds To Construct Marriage Halls

Case Title: Rama Ravikumar v. The State of Tamil Nadu and Others

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 290

The Madras High Court has recently quashed a Government Order by which the State had granted permission for the construction of marriage halls by utilising the temple funds belonging to five different temples situated at different places.

The bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice G Arul Murugan held that the State's decision was violative of provisions of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Act, 1959 and the Rules and did not fall within the definition of “religious purpose”.

The court noted that as per Section 66 of the HR & CE Act, surplus funds could not be diverted for commercial or profit making ventures but must be confined to religious or charitable purpose. The court also noted that Hindu marriages, though considered sacrament, was a union bound by contractual terms and hence could not be considered a religious purpose.

After Watching Movie, Madras High Court Asks Director Vetri Maaran To Make Certain Modifications In 'Manushi'

Case Title: Vetri Maaran v. The Chairman and Another

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 291

The Madras High Court on Friday (August 29) directed acclaimed Director and Producer Vetri Maaran to carry out certain cuts and modifications in his upcoming Tamil movie 'Manushi'.

Justice Anand Venkatesh, who had earlier decided to watch the movie, said that the exercise had to be done keeping in mind the principles of proportionality and to ensure that freedom of speech and expression is not unduly curtailed on surmises and conjectures.

The court, however, asked the members of the Central Board of Film Certification to deal with matters of artistic freedom broadly.

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS

Madras High Court Reserves Orders On Pleas Challenging Detention of Lawyers & Law Students Who Took Part In Sanitation Workers Protest

Case Title: S. Vijay v. The Commissioner of Police

Case No: HCP 1599 of 2025

The Madras High Court, on Friday, reserved orders on a habeas corpus petition challenging the detention of lawyers and law students who took part in the protest organised by the sanitation workers in Chennai, challenging the Greater Chennai Corporation's decision to privatise the sanitation work in some zones.

The bench of Justice MS Ramesh and Justice V Lakshminarayanan also mulled the possibility of appointing a One-man committee headed by a former judge of the High Court to probe into the alleged violence that took place between the police and the protestors.