The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee’s (TNCC) human rights wing has approached the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the police to grant permission for a mini-marathon for 2.5 km between Injambakkam and Akkarai junction on the East Coast Road (ECR) in Chennai to celebrate the 124th birth anniversary of former Chief Minister and Congress leader K. Kamaraj.

Justice V. Lakshminarayanan, on Tuesday (September 1, 2026), directed a government counsel to obtain instructions by Thursday (September 3). Filing an affidavit on behalf of the petitioner, its South Chennai East district president S. Selvakumar said, the marathon would begin at World Peace Temple in Injambakkam and reach the same place after taking an U-turn at Akkarai junction.

He claimed TNCC president Manickam Tagore, two Ministers belonging to the Congress party, Members of the Legislative Assembly and senior leader of the party had agreed to participate in the marathon. The deponent said, he had assured the police the event would be conducted in a disciplined manner without causing any disturbance to the general public or vehicular traffic.

Denial of police permission

The court was told the police had refused to grant permission for the event on the ground that such permission could be granted only for non-governmental organisations and not to political parties. If that was so, how do the police grant permission every year for the Kalaignar Memorial Marathon organised by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the deponent wondered.

Mr. Selvakumar said, denial of permission for TNCC’s human rights wing alone would amount to discrimination and made it clear only around 100 participants would take part in the event planned by the party between 5:30 am and 8:30 am to avoid inconvenience to the people.