K.Menaka v. The Director Of Collegiate Education

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 09.07.2025

CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE R.SUBRAMANIAN AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE K.SURENDER Writ Appeal Nos.2060, 2062, 2063 and 2064 of 2025 and CMP Nos.15629, 15641, 15643 and 15644 of 2025 K. Menaka ... Appellant in WA 2060/2025 S.Sujitha ... Appellant in WA 2062/2025 K.Sarswathi ... Appellant in WA 2063/2025 P. Maheswari ... Appellant in WA 2064/2025 Vs.

1. The Director of Collegiate Education, Saidapet, Chennai 600 015.

Chenai District.

2. The Joint Director of Collegiate Education, Chennai Region, Saidapet, Chennai 600 015.

3. The Principal and Secretary, Ethiraj College for Women 1/6

4. Ethiraj College for Women Rep. By its Principal and Secretary ... Respondents in all the petitions Prayer: Writ Appeals filed under Clause 15 of the Letters Patent, to set aside the order passed in (i) WP No.20781 of 2025 dated 13.06.2025 (ii) WP No.20785 of 2025 dated 13.06.2025 (iii) WP No.20778 of 2025 dated 13.06.2025 (iii) WP No.20791 of 2025 dated 13.06.2025 respectively. For Appellants : Mr. S.Senthilnathan (in all the Petitions) For Respondents : Mr.D.Ravichandran, (in all the petitions) Special Government Pleader C O M M O N J U D G M E N T (Judgment of the Court was delivered by R.SUBRAMANIAN, J.) Challenge is to the orders of the learned Single Judge dated 13.06.2025 made in WP Nos. 20781 of 2025, 20785 of 2025, 20778 of 2025 and 20791 of 2025 respectively.

2. The challenge before the learned Single Judge was to the proceedings of the Director of Collegiate Education refusing approval to the 2/6

appointment of the appellants as Assistant Professors in the fourth respondent College. The appellants applied pursuant to an advertisement issued by the College for various posts of Assistant Professors. They were selected through a selection process and appointment orders were issued to them. The University of Madras to which the fourth respondent College is affiliated approved the educational qualifications also. However, the first respondent refused to approve the appointment on the ground that the reservation for persons studied in Tamil Medium as provided by the Tamil Nadu Appointment on Preferential Basis in the Services under the State of Persons Studied in Tamil Medium Act, 2010 was not provided.

3. These orders of refusal were communicated to the Secretary of the fourth respondent and they were also forwarded to the appellants through the Secretary of the College. When these orders were challenged in the Writ Petition, the learned Single Judge dismissed the Writ Petition on a fanciful and irresponsible statement made by the Government Advocate, who appeared before the learned Single Judge to the effect that the orders impugned in the Writ Petition were not addressed to the petitioners therein. Non-approval of an appointment directly affects the appointee. It is the 3/6

appointee who is the aggrieved person. Moreover the orders refusing approval have been forwarded to the appointees through the principal of the college. Therefore, the dismissal of the Writ Petitions on such an immature submission is unwarranted.

4. We therefore allow these Appeals, set aside the orders of dismissal and remit the matter to the learned Single Judge, who will hear the same and dispose of it in accordance with law. There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petitions are closed. (R.SUBRAMANIAN, J.) (K.SURENDER, J.) 09.07.2025 jv Internet : Yes Index : No : No Speaking order 4/6

To

1. The Director of Collegiate Education, Saidapet, Chennai 600 015.

Chenai District.

2. The Joint Director of Collegiate Education, Chennai Region, Saidapet, Chennai 600 015.

3. The Principal and Secretary, Ethiraj College for Women

4. The Principal and Secretary Ethiraj College for Women 5/6

R.SUBRAMANIAN, J.

and K.SURENDER , J.

jv Writ Appeal Nos. 2060, 2062, 2063 and 2064 of 2025 09.07.2025 6/6