Kumaravel v. P.Arumugam

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 29-05-2026

CORAM

THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE G. R. SWAMINATHAN AND THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE V. LAKSHMINARAYANAN CMP.Nos.13410 & 13411 of 2026 in WA No. 1457 of 2026

1. Kumaravel S/O. Karuppasamy Gounder, West Thottam, Mylapuram, North Shankaramanallur, Madathukulam Taluk, Tiruppur District.

2. Veerappa Gounder S/o.Kumarasamy Gounder, West Thottam, Mylapuram, North Shankaramanallur, Madathukulam Taluk, Tiruppur District.

..Appellant(s) Vs

1. P.Arumugam S/O. Kumarasamy Gounder, Aaya Gounder Thottam, Mylapuram, Nallagoundanur Post, Madathukulam Taluk, Tiruppur District.

2. The State rep by The District Collector The District Collector Office, Tiruppur District

3. The Executive Engineer

Amaravathi Basin Division, Dharapuram, Tiruppur District.

4. The Assistant Executive Engineer Amaravathi Basin Division-III Amaravathi Nagar, Tiruppur District.

5. The Assistant Engineer Amaravathi Basin Division, Komaralingam, Tiruppur District.

6. The Executive Engineer TANGEDCO, Palani, Dindigul District.

7. The Assistant Executive Engineer TANGEDCO, West Palani, Dindigul District.

8. The Assistant Engineer TANGEDCO, Swaminathapuram Palani, Dindigul District.

..Respondent(s) For Appellant(s):

Mr.R.Thirumoorthy For Respondent(s):

Mr.L.Jaivenkatesh, Standing Counsel for R6 to R8

ORDER

(Order of the Court was delivered by G.R.Swaminathan J.) Heard the learned counsel for the appellants and the learned Standing Counsel for TANGEDCO.

2. The appellants are the agriculturalists. They are owing a land near Amaravathi River. An allegation was made that the TANGEDCO authorities threatened to disconnect the appellants' electricity connection on the ground that the appellants are illegally drawing water from Amaravathi River. Hence, the appellants filed W.P.(MD).Nos.22518 & 22519 of 2023 before the Madurai Bench of this Court and the said Writ Petitions were disposed of on 14.09.2023 with the following directions:

"5.Recording the submissions made by the learned counsel for the petitioner, this Court is inclined to dispose of these writ petitions with the following directions:- i. The petitioners are directed to submit an undertaking affidavit before the third respondent that they will not use the free agricultural service connection for extracting water from River Amaravathi and not for any other purpose other than agriculture within a period of two weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

ii. Till such time, the respondent Board shall not take any coercive steps as against these petitioners."

3. However, an adjacent land owner one Arumugam filed W.P.No.43910 of 2025 for directing the TANGEDCO authorities to implement the order of the Executive Engineer, Amaravathi Basin Division dated 03.01.2024 and the said Writ Petition was disposed of on 17.11.2025 with the following directions: "7.Considering the facts and circumstances of the case and in view of the limited request sought for by the petitioner, this Court directs the respondents 5 to 7 to implement the order passed by the second respondent after providing opportunity to the petitioner as well as the private respondents within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

8. With the above directions, the Writ Petition is disposed of. No costs."

Aggrieved by the above said order, this Writ Appeal came to be filed.

4. A copy of the communication dated 03.01.2024 has been enclosed in the typed set of papers. It is seen from the said communication that no person should be allowed to draw water from Amaravathi River and that, if they do so, their service connection should be disconnected. No exception can be taken to the said communication. However, without putting the appellants on notice, on an assumption that the appellants are illegally drawing water from the river, their service connection appears to have been disconnected yesterday.

5. The agricultural activities are now said to be going on. The rights of the parties can be adjudicated in the main Writ Appeal. We therefore direct the respondents 4 to 8 to forthwith restore the appellants' electricity service connection.

6. These Civil Miscellaneous Petitions are disposed of accordingly. (G.R.S.,J.) (V.L.N.,J.) 29-05-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order gsk NOTE: Issue order copy on 01.06.2026.

G.R.SWAMINATHAN, J.

AND V.LAKSHMINARAYANAN, J.

gsk To

1. The District Collector The District Collector Office, Tiruppur District

2. The Executive Engineer Amaravathi Basin Division, Dharapuram, Tiruppur District.

3. The Assistant Executive Engineer Amaravathi Basin Division-III Amaravathi Nagar,Tiruppur District.

4. The Assistant Engineer Amaravathi Basin Division, Komaralingam, Tiruppur District.

5. The Executive Engineer Tangedco, Palani, Dindigul District

6. The Assistant Executive Engineer Tangedco, West Palani,Dindigul District

7. The Assistant Engineer Tangedco,Swaminathapuram Palani,Dindigul District.

CMP.Nos.13410 & 13411 of 2026 in WA No. 1457 of 2026 29-05-2026