M.Jayabalan v. The Principal Secretary To The Government

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 04.07.2024 CORAM :

THE HON'BLE MR.R.MAHADEVAN, ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE MOHAMMED SHAFFIQ M.Jayabalan .. Appellant Vs

1. The Principal Secretary to the Government, Department of School Education, Secretariat, Chennai 600 009.

2. The Director of School Education, Chennai 600 006.

3. The District Chief Educational Officer, Villupuram, Villupuram District.

.. Respondents Prayer: Appeal filed under Clause 15 of the Letters patent against the order dated 09.10.2023 passed in W.P.No.14704 of 2021 on the file of this Court.

For the Appellant : Mr.Ayyadurai For the Respondents : Mr.U.M.Ravichandran Spl. Govt. Pleader

JUDGMENT

(Judgment of the Court was made by the Hon'ble Acting Chief Justice) Heard, Mr.Ayyadurai, learned counsel for the appellant and Mr.U.M.Ravichandran, learned Special Government Pleader for the respondents.

2. This writ appeal is directed against the order of the learned Single Judge in W.P.No.14704 of 2021 dated 09.10.2023. The learned Judge, while disposing of the writ petition, observed that the respondents could have exercised their discretion to relax the qualification, by considering the extraordinary circumstances involved in the case. The learned Judge also made it clear that the petitioner cannot claim any arrears of salary by claiming Selection Grade or Special Grade Pay.

3. Though the present appeal challenges the order in the writ petition, the learned counsel for the appellant would confine the relief in the present appeal to the effect that an outer time limit may be fixed for the respondents to pass orders.

In view of the above, without going into the merits of the case and considering the age of the appellant and the fact that he has already superannuated, we direct the respondents to pass orders, one way or the other, within a period of eight weeks from today. Accordingly, this writ appeal stands disposed of. No costs. (R.M.D., ACJ.) (M.S.Q., J.) 04.07.2024 Index :

Yes/No NC :

Yes/No sra To

1. The Principal Secretary to the Government, Department of School Education, Secretariat, Chennai 600 009.

2. The Director of School Education, Chennai 600 006.

3. The District Chief Educational Officer, Villupuram, Villupuram District.

THE HON'BLE ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE AND MOHAMMED SHAFFIQ,J.

(sra) 04.07.2024