Prani Mithran v. The Director
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 02-06-2026
CORAM
THE HON'BLE DR JUSTICE G. JAYACHANDRAN AND THE HON'BLE MRS.JUSTICE N. MALA Writ Petition No. 17220 of 2026 and W.M.P.Nos.18499, 18502 & 18504 of 2026 Prani Mithran Rep by its Managing Trustee Dr.V.Vallaiappan No.26, 2nd street Vasantha Nagar Madurai-625 003 ..Petitioner Vs
1. The Director Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Integrated Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Department office complex 571, Anna Salai,Veterinary Hospital Campus Chennai-600 035.
2. The Member secretary Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Integrated Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Department office complex 571, Anna Aalai Veterinary Hospital Campus Chennai-600 035
3. The Chief Executive Officer Tamilnadu Animal Welfare Board Thiruvanmitur Chennai-600 041
4. The Director of Municipal Administration Urban AdministrativeBbuilding Santhome High Road MRC Nagar, Chennai-600 028
5. The Commissioner Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation Diwan Bahadur Road, Near Axis Bank R.S.Puram, Coimbatore-641 001
6. The Commissioner Tiruppur City Municipal Corporation Mangalam Road, Tiruppur-641 604
7. The Commissioner Hosur City Municipal Corporation Bangalur Road, Opp.to Thillai Nagar Hosur-635109.
..Respondents PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records of the 1st respondent pertaining to the impugned communication in ROC.No.15463/TNAWB/2022 dated 23.2.2026, quash the same as illegal and consequently direct the 1st to 3rd respondents to permit the petitioner to continue to operate the petitioner's Trust.
For Petitioner:
Mr.K.Kathiresan For Respondents:
Mr.K.Surendar Government Advocate for R1 to R4 Mr.N.Umapathi, Standing Counsel for R5 Mr.Abishek Murthy for R6
ORDER
(Order of the Court was made by Dr.G.Jayachandran J.) The petitioner herein, claiming to be the Managing Trustee of an NGO, is before this Court challenging an internal communication between the Director
of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Government of Tamil Nadu and the Director of Municipal Administration.
2.
The letter of communication dated 23.02.2026, which is impugned in this Writ Petition, reads as follows:-
3.
The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner states that the petitioner trust has been diligently discharging its duties. Therefore, it was shocked to receive the impugned communication addressed by the 1st respondent to the 3rd respondent.
4.
We are unable to countenance the said allegations of the petitioner herein in the light of the contents of the impugned communication, which clearly indicate that there are 17 formal complaints against the petitioner's trust for improper surgery, mutilation of animals, gross negligence in post-operative care and multiple deaths of animals. In view of the said complaints, the District Animal Welfare Officer has conducted necessary inspection and communicated the same to the Regional Joint Director of Animal Husbandry Department. As a
consequence, the Member Secretary/Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services had communicated to the Director of Municipal Administration to take appropriate action against the NGO as per law, including the suspension of engagement/permission to carry out the ABC programme with the Municipal Corporations wherever the NGO is engaged/permitted to do so. 5.
The petitioner herein, to pre-empt the action likely to be taken against his conduct and negligence in post-operative care, had initially approached this Court by filing a W.P.No.11380 of 2026 with an identical prayer. The said writ petition was dismissed as withdrawn with liberty to the petitioner to workout his remedy in the manner known to law before the Hon'ble Division Bench of this Court. Hence, the present Writ Petition has been filed.
6.
From the reading of the impugned communication and the nature of the allegations, we find no illegality in the proposed action contemplated by the respondents. The petitioner trust, instead of submitting itself for a proper inspection, appears to have obstructed the process. When the inspection team visited their premises to carry out a spot inspection, they were not permitted to to do so and the petitioner's representative also used unparliamentary words, thereby preventing the officials from discharging their official duties.
7.
By filing this Writ Petition, it is obviously clear that the petitioner's trust is not inclined to submit itself to the due process contemplated under law, which enables the authorities to inspect the premises to verify complaints against the NGO. This Writ Petition has obviously been filed to pre-empt legal action from being taken against them for any illegality found. 8.
Hence, this Writ Petition stands dismissed with costs of Rs.25,000/- payable to the Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Chennai. Consequently, the connected Miscellaneous Petitions are closed. No costs.
(G.J.,J.) (N.M.,J.) 02-06-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order rpl To 1.The Director Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Integrated Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Department office complex 571, Anna Salai Veterinary Hospital Campus Chennai-600 035.
2.The Member secretary Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Integrated Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Department office complex 571, Anna Aalai Veterinary Hospital Campus Chennai-600 035.
3.The Chief Executive Officer Tamilnadu Animal Welfare Board Thiruvanmitur Chennai-600 041.
4.The Director of Municipal Administration Urban AdministrativeBbuilding Santhome High Road MRC Nagar Chennai-600 028.
5.The Commissioner Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation Diwan Bahadur Road, Near Axis Bank R.S.Puram, Coimbatore-641 001.
6.The Commissioner Tiruppur City Municipal Corporation Mangalam Road Tiruppur-641 604 7.The Commissioner Hosur City Municipal Corporation Bangalur Road, Opp.to Thillai Nagar Hosur-635109.
DR.G.JAYACHANDRAN J.
AND N.MALA J.
rpl Writ Petition No. 17220 of 2026 and W.M.P.Nos.18499, 18502 & 18504 of 2026 02-06-2026