R.Vanitha v. The Revenue Divisional Officer

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 16.06.2026

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE DR. JUSTICE G. JAYACHANDRAN AND THE HONOURABLE MRS. JUSTICE N. MALA W.P. No. 22417 of 2026 & W.M.P. Nos. 24328 & 24330 of 2026 Mrs.R. Vanitha ..Petitioner Vs.

1.

The Revenue Divisional Officer, Villupuram, Villupuram District.

The Registrar, Anna University, Chennai - 600 025.

..Respondents Prayer:

Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issue of a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus to call for the records relating to the impugned order dated 12.03.2026 in Pa.Mu.A5/412/2026 passed by the 1st respondent, quash the same and consequently direct the 1st respondent to issue Community Certificate to petitioner's son Mr.Prathinav under the "Hindu Konda Reddy (Scheduled Tribe)" category.

For Petitioner ::

Mr.M. Yogesh Kanna 1\4

For Respondents ::

Mr.K. Surendar, Government Advocate for R1

O R D E R

(Made by Dr.G. JAYACHANDRAN,J.) The writ petition is filed by the mother of a minor boy, who applied for issuance of Hindu Konda Reddy (Scheduled Tribe) community certificate, but the said request was declined by the Revenue Divisional Officer, Villupuram District, vide proceedings dated 12.03.2026. Being aggrieved, the petitioner preferred an appeal before the District Collector, Villupuram and the same is pending. In the meanwhile, the petitioner has approached this Court by filing W.P. No. 20731 of 2026 seeking a mandamus directing the District Collector and the Revenue Divisional Officer to issue community certificate. Later, the said writ petition was withdrawn by the writ petitioner herein and the present writ petition has been filed couching the prayer differently. 3.

On perusing the affidavit and the records and on hearing the submissions of the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Advocate for the 1st respondent, we find that the Revenue Divisional Officer, Villupuram, had conducted an enquiry and based on the report of the Tahsildar, he had issued proceedings dated 12.03.2026 holding that there is no supportive document to issue Hindu Konda Reddy (Scheduled Tribe) community certificate to the applicant's/petitioner's son. The order of the Revenue Divisional Officer also explicitly mentions that if the applicant is aggrieved by the decision, she may 2\4

appeal to the District Collector, Villupuram District within 30 days from the date of receipt of that order.

4.

Subsequently, the writ petitioner had filed an appeal to the District Collector, Villupuram on 10.05.2026 and the same is pending. In the meanwhile, misreading G.O.(Ms.) No. 104 Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare (CV-1) Department dated 21.08.2023, the writ petitioner has ventured to file the present writ petition before this Court invoking Article 226 of the Constitution of India on the premise that there is no provision for preferring an appeal despite the fact that she had preferred an appeal before the District Collector, Villupuram and the same is pending.

5.

The Government Order in G.O.(Ms.) No. 235 Revneue [RA3(2)] Department dated 26.06.2015 subsequently amended by G.O.(Ms.) No. 147 Revenue Department dated 17.03.2016 provides for an appellate remedy whenever the Issuing Authority declined to consider the request for community certificate and insofar as Scheduled Tribe community is concerned, against the order of the Issuing Authority (Revenue Divisional Officer), the District Collector is the Appellate Authority, which has been rightly mentioned in the impugned order itself and the writ petitioner has further appeal remedy before the State Level Scrutiny Committee. Therefore, suffice to direct the District Collector, Villupuram/Appellate Authority to consider the appeal filed by the writ petitioner dated 10.05.2026 within a period of four (4) weeks from today. The Appellate 3\4

Dr. G. JAYACHANDRAN,J.

AND N. MALA,J.

nv Authority shall consider all the documents produced by the petitioner/appellant independently and pass appropriate orders in accordance with law. The petitioner is at liberty to furnish additional documents, if any, within seven (7) days from today.

6.

The writ petition is disposed of with the above directions. No costs. Connected W.M.Ps are closed.

(Dr.G.J.J.) (N.M.J.) nv 16.06.2026 (Note to Office: Issue order copy today (16.06.2026)) To 1.

The Revenue Divisional Officer, Villupuram, Villupuram District.

The Registrar, Anna University, Chennai - 600 025.

3.

The District Collector, Villupuram.

W.P. No. 22417 of 2026 4\4