R.Ramachandran v. The General Manager
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 17.09.2025
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI R.Ramachandran .
...Petitioner
Vs
1. The General Manager P.E.1 The Erode District Central Co-operative Bank Limited Bhavani Main Road Karungalpalayam Post Erode-638 003.
2.The Branch Manager The District Central Co-operative Bank Limited Bazzar Branch Periyar Street, Erode District.
3.Murali 4.Anetha 5.Sudha .....
Respondents PRAYER: This writ petition is filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records pertaining to order passed by the 1st respondent vide proceedings in Na.Ka.No.04554/2005-06/D1 dated 19.10.2020 and quash the same as illegal,
incompetent and thereby consequently directing the 1st respondent to give alternate key to the petitioner in respect of Locker No.261 and allow the petitioner to access the locker.
For Petitioner : Mr.M.Guruprasad For R1, R2, R4, R5 : No Appearance For R3 : Not Ready in Notice
O R D E R
This writ petition has been filed, to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records pertaining to order passed by the 1st respondent vide proceedings in Na.Ka.No.04554/2005-06/D1 dated 19.10.2020 and quash the same as illegal, incompetent and thereby consequently directing the 1st respondent to give alternate key to the petitioner in respect of Locker No.261 and allow the petitioner to access the locker.
2. The case of the petitioner is that the petitioner's grand mother P.Chandra possessed a locker in the 2nd respondent Bank and nominated the petitioner as her nominee. She died on 27.01.2020 due to her illness. The petitioner made a representation on 15.09.2020, to give the duplicate key to open his grand mother locker No.261. But, the same was rejected by the 1st
respondent by an impugned order dated 19.10.2020 stating that all legal heirs have to give no objection to open the locker or otherwise obtain order from a competent civil court and denied to provide the duplicate key to the petitioner. Challenging the same, the present writ petition is filed.
3. The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that this Court may permit the other legal heirs of P.Chandra to appear before the 2nd respondent for opening the Bank locker.
4. As per the Banking Regulation, the nominee alone is entitled to open a locker. There is no necessity to the other legal heirs adopting the petitioner to open a locker. However, the fact remains that the locker may contain several things including the other particulars in which the petitioner is not entitled and it has to be opened only in the presence of other legal heirs of the deceased P.Chandra. The petitioner alone is not entitled to open a locker and taken away all the particulars. Hence, the order passed by the 1st respondent does not need any interference by this Court.
5. Accordingly, this writ petition is dismissed. However, liberty is granted to the petitioner to appear before the 2nd respondent Bank along with
M.DHANDAPANI, J.
uma other legal heirs. If all the legal heirs execute a consent letter to the 2nd respondent , a bank locker belonging to the deceased P.Chandra, can be opened or closed.
17.09.2025 Index : Yes/No : Yes/No Speaking/non-speaking order uma To
1. The General Manager P.E.1 The Erode District Central Co-operative Bank Limited Bhavani Main Road Karungalpalayam Post Erode-638 003.
2.The Branch Manager The District Central Co-operative Bank Limited Bazzar Branch Periyar Street, Erode District.