New Delhi/IBNS, Jan. 6 -- In a big win for Hindus, the Madras High Court on Tuesday upheld a single-judge order permitting the lighting of the Karthigai Deepam at the stone pillar atop Thiruparankundram hill in Tamil Nadu, observing that the issue had been "unnecessarily politicised", media reports said.

A division bench comprising Justices G Jayachandran and K.K. Ramakrishnan passed the order while imposing certain restrictions, including limited public access to the ceremony.

Earlier, on December 1 last year, a single-judge bench of Justice G.R. Swaminathan had ordered the ceremonial lighting of the lamp on the festival day, acting on a petition filed by Hindu Tamil Party leader Rama Ravikumar.

Despite the single-judge order, authori...