D.Lawrence v. The Government Of Tamilnadu
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 28.11.2025
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE G.K.ILANTHIRAIYAN W.P.No.30748 of 2025 and WMP Nos.34456, 34459 & 34465 of 2025 1.D.Lawrence 2.C.Baby Jeeja .....
Petitioners -Vs1. The Government of Tamil Nadu, Rep by its Secretary, Higher Education Department, Fort St. George, Chennai 600 009.
2. The Government of Tamil Nadu, Rep by its Secretary, Finance Department, Fort St. George, Chennai 600 009.
3.The Commissioner of Collegiate Education, I.A.E.S. Campus, 577, Anna Salai, Saidapet, Chennai 600 015.
4.The Regional Joint Director of Collegiate Education, Tirunelveli Region, Tirunelveli.
5.The Secretary-cum-Correspondent, Scott Christian College (Autonomous), Nagercoil, Kanyakumari District.
.....
Respondents
Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus to call for the records on the file of the third respondent made in Na.Ka.No.28113/F2/2022 and the consequential order passed by the fourth respondent made in Na.Ka.No.9867/E3/22 both dated 19.10.2023 and quash the same and consequently direct the respondents to grant approval for appointments and salary and release the salary with effect from the date of petitioners' joining i.e., 28.02.2022.
For Petitioners : M/s.G.Selvi George For Respondents : Mr.V.Jeevagiridharan Additional Government Pleader
ORDER
This writ petition has been filed challenging the order passed by the third respondent in Na.Ka.No.28113/F2/2022 and the consequential order passed by the fourth respondent in Na.Ka.No.9867/E3/22, both dated 19.10.2023, thereby cancelled the approval of the petitioners' appointment. 2.The case of the petitioners is that they were appointed as Lab Assistants in the fifth respondent college. The fifth respondent college is a minority aided college. Insofar as the Lab Assistants are concerned, originally 14 posts were sanctioned and financial grant was also released. Thereafter, the fifth respondent college submitted a representation to sanction two more Lab Assistant posts. Further, in anticipation of sanction of two more Lab Assistant
posts, petitioners were appointed as Lab Assistants with effect from 28.02.2022. After their appointment, the fifth respondent college forwarded their appointment for approval to the authorities concerned. However, the third respondent without seeing whether their posts were sanctioned or not mechanically approved their appointment and subsequently, by an order dated 19.02.2023, it was cancelled.
3.The learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that the petitioners were not heard by the third respondent.
4. Heard the learned counsel on either side and perused the materials available on record.
5.When the third respondent erroneously approved the petitioners' appointment as Lab Assistants, that too, without there being any sanctioned post, the third respondent can very well cancel the approval, for which, the petitioners were not required to be given any notice. Therefore, this Court finds no infirmity or illegality in the order passed by the third respondent.
6. In view of the same, this writ petition stands dismissed. The request made by the petitioners seeking sanction of two more posts of Lab Assistants is
pending before the second respondent. If the two posts of Lab Assistants are sanctioned for the fifth respondent college, the fifth respondent college can very well send a proposal for the approval of the petitioners' appointment in accordance with law. There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are also closed. 28.11.2025 Internet: Yes Index : Yes/No Speaking/Non Speaking order sli To
1. The Government of Tamil Nadu, Rep by its Secretary, Higher Education Department, Fort St. George, Chennai 600 009.
2. The Government of Tamil Nadu, Rep by its Secretary, Finance Department, Fort St. George, Chennai 600 009.
3.The Commissioner of Collegiate Education, I.A.E.S. Campus, 577, Anna Salai, Saidapet, Chennai 600 015.
4.The Regional Joint Director of Collegiate Education, Tirunelveli Region, Tirunelveli.
5.The Secretary-cum-Correspondent, Scott Christian College (Autonomous), Nagercoil, Kanyakumari District.
G.K.ILANTHIRAIYAN. J, sli 28.11.2025 (1/2)