M.Loganayaki v. The Secretary To The Government Of Tamil Nadu
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 18-03-2026
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI WP No. 3840 of 2026 & WMP No. 11456 of 2026 M.Loganayaki Petitioner(s) Vs 1.The Secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Department, St. George Fort, Chennai-600 009 2.The Zonal Officer Tondairpet, Mandala Maruthuvar Officer, Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Memorial marriage Financial scheme, No.88, Kattivakkam High Road, Meenambal nagar, Chennai-21.
Respondent(s) PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India, directing the respondents to comply the order dated 17.12.2020 and to pay Rs.50,000/- by cheque and 8 gram gold vide order dated 17.12.2020 in Ma.Se.Thu.Ma.Ma.A. Na.Ka. No.34826/ 2019 For Petitioner(s):
Mr.G.Krishnamurthy For Respondent:
Mr.P.S.Raman, Advocate General assisted by Mr.Yogesh Kannadasan for R1 Special Government Pleader Mr.D.B.R.Prabhu for R2
ORDER
This petition has been filed for a direction, directing the respondents to comply the order dated 17.12.2020 and to pay Rs.50,000/- by cheque and 8 gram gold vide order dated 17.12.2020 made in Ma.Se.Thu.Ma.Ma.A.Na.Ka. No.34826/ 2019.
2. It is the case of the petitioner that the petitioner on 07.09.2020 had applied for marriage finance scheme amount under the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Memorial Marriage Financing Scheme for a sum of Rs.50,000/-, plus 8 gram gold for her daughter Mrs.Manjula marriage held on 18.10.2020. It is the grievance of the petitioner that even after lapse of 5 years, marriage assistance was not granted to the petitioner's daughter. Hence, seeks for a direction.
3. The learned Advocate General submitted that vide G.O.Ms.No.515 dated 31.05.1989, the Government announced the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Memorial Marriage Assistance Scheme to uplift the social status of women, granting Rs.5000 as marriage assistance to women from poor families who had completed VIII standard or more. Subsequently, after several Government Orders, vide G.O.Ms.No.43 dated 17.05.2011, cash assistance was enhanced to Rs.50,000/- and vide G.o.Ms.No.47 dated 23.05.2016, gold coin was increased to 8 grams. However, upon review of the implementation of the scheme, the Government took a police decision to revamp the scheme. Accordingly, vide Government Order in G.O.Ms.No.46 dated 02.08.2022, the scheme was transformed as Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme (Pudhumai Penn Thittam) with a focus on higher education. Under the new scheme, girl students who studied who studied from
Classes VI to XII in Government Schools are paid Rs.1000/- per month directly till UG, diploma or ITI courses. Thus, there was no further financial sanction to the marriage assistance scheme for the pending application from the years 20182019 to 2021-2022. The petitioner's application was processed only in accordance with the seniority list of eligible beneficiaries. The decision to discontinued old scheme and to focus on one promoting higher education for girl children is a conscious policy decision taken to ensure long term empowerment and more effective utilisation of public resources. Such restructuring does not amount to denial of benefits, but represents a shift in the mode and focus of assistance in accordance with the evolving socio-economic priorities. This clearly demonstrates that the primary intent of the scheme was to incentivize women education and discourage early marriage and not merely extend financial assistance at the time of marriage.
4. It is the contention of the learned Advocate General that the plea of legitimate expectation or promissory estoppel is not sustainable in the facts of the present case. The earlier marriage assistance scheme was an executive policy measure, a welfare scheme framed in exercise of executive power can always be reviewed, modified or restructured by the Government in larger public interest. It is well settled that the doctrine of promissory estoppel and legitimate expectation cannot be invoked to prevent the Government from changing its policy in larger public interest.
5. Heard both sides and perused the materials placed on record.
6. The facts in the present case are not in dispute. Admittedly, the petitioner has made an application on 07.09.2020 for marriage finance scheme amount under the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Memorial Marriage Financing Scheme for a sum of Rs.50,000/-, plus 8 gram gold for her daughter Mrs.Manjula marriage held on 18.10.2020. It is the grievance of the petitioner that even after lapse of 5 years, marriage assistance was not granted to the petitioner's daughter. It is brought to the notice of this Court that when the very same issue relating to application under the scheme of Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Memorial Marriage Financial Assistance, a Division Bench of this Court in the case of The Commissioner and others vs. Sithammal and another made in W.A.No.2993 of 2023 vide judgment dated 21.11.
2025 has held that once a scheme is discontinued and does not contain any provision for considering applications submitted under the earlier scheme, no right survives in favour of such applicants. The relevant portion of the judgment reads as follows:- " 5. The learned Additional Advocate General appearing on behalf of the State would submit that though the application was submitted by the 1st respondent prior to cancellation of welfare scheme, it was not considered since the scheme itself has been cancelled by the Government with effect from 18.03.2022.
consider the application submitted prior to the scheme, the authorities are not under obligation to consider the same.
6. The Government scheme is a policy decision and Court cannot extend the scope of the scheme for the purpose of considering the application submitted prior to the abolition, which would not fall under the realm of the powers of judicial review conferred under Article 226 of the Constitutional of India. Thus, the direction issued by the Writ Court to consider the representation would be of no assistance to the 1st respondent, since the scheme itself was abolished by the Government with effect from 18.02.2022 and it cannot be considered by the authorities as no such scheme was in force."
Emphasis supplied
8. In view of the above, this Court is also of the considered view that Court cannot extend the scope of the scheme for the purpose of considering the application submitted prior to the abolition, which would not fall under the realm of the powers of judicial review conferred under Article 226 of the Constitutional of India. Hence, this Court does not find any merits in this petition and accordingly, this writ petition stands dismissed. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition stands closed. 18-03-2026 dhk Index:Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order Internet:Yes
To 1.The Secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Department, St. George Fort, Chennai-600 009 2.The Zonal Officer Tondairpet, Mandala Maruthuvar Officer, Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Memorial marriage Financial scheme, No.88, Kattivakkam High Road, Meenambal nagar, Chennai-21.
M.DHANDAPANI J.
dhk WP No. 3840 of 2026 18-03-2026