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Madras High CourtWP/31198/2025allowed

P.Jothilakshmi v. The Secretary

2025-08-20Honourable Ms. Justice P.T. Asha6 pages

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

Dated : 20.08.2025

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE Ms. JUSTICE P.T. ASHA P.Jothilakshmi District Educational Officer (School Education) Thiruvannamalai Thiruvannamalai District - 606 601.

... Petitioner Vs 1.The Secretary Department of School Education Secretariat Fort St.George, Chennai - 600 009.

2.The Director The Director of School Education DPI Campus Nungambakkam Chennai - 600 006.

3.The Chief Educational Officer Office of the Chief Educational Office Thiruvannamalai District.

... Respondents Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents to consider the 1/6

representations of the petitioner dated 19.03.2025 and 04.08.2025 and promote the petitioner to the post of Chief Educational Officer and other monetary benefits and to pass such further or other order(s) as this Court may deem fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case. For Petitioner : Mr.P.Nethaji For Respondents : Mr.S.Prabhakaran Government Advocate [R1 to R3]

ORDER

The above writ petition has been filed for the following relief : " To issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents to consider the representations of the petitioner dated 19.03.2025 and 04.08.2025 and to promote the petitioner to the post of Chief Educational Officer and other monetary benefits and to pass such further or other order(s) as this Court may deem fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case"

2. The case of the petitioner is that she was originally appointed as Secondary Grade Teacher in Municipal Girls Higher Secondary School, Tiruvannamalai on 04.06.1984 and thereafter by subsequent promotions, she was promoted to the post of Higher Secondary Headmaster on 28.06.2012, and the next promotional post is District Educational Officer (DEO). 2/6

3. The petitioner would submit that though she was eligible to the post of DEO, her name did not find place in the panel for promotion prepared by the second respondent vide proceedings dated 09.10.2020, however, the names of her junior finds a place in it. Hence, she filed a petition before this Court in W.P.No.17378 of 2020 to quash the proceedings of the second respondent dated 09.10.2020, and the same came to be allowed vide order dated 06.03.2024, in and by which, the proceedings dated 09.10.2020 was quashed, and the respondents are directed to prepare a fresh promotion panel for the year 2021 by including the petitioner's name and to promote her to the next cadre "District Educational Officer" within a period of four weeks. Since the order of this Court dated 06.03.

2024 was not complied with, it ended in initiating contempt proceedings in Cont.P.No.2038 of 2024. Thereafter, vide G.O.Ms.No.256, School Education (Pa.Ka.1(1)) Department, dated 02.12.2024, the petitioner was promoted to the post of District Educational Officer on 06.12.2024, and the contempt petition was also closed.

4. Be that as it may, the second respondent had issued proceedings dated 11.05.2024 seeking for Annual Confidential Reports from the individuals, viz., District Educational Officers, for the purpose of approval of names to the post 3/6

of Chief Educational Officer. According to the petitioner, though she is eligible to get promoted to the post of Chief Educational Officer, the respondents have not included her name in the said proceedings, which is a violation of principles of natural justice. The petitioner have also submitted her representations on 19.03.2025 and 04.08.2025 to consider her name in the panel list to the post of CEO. Since, no action is forthcoming to date, the petitioner is before this Court in the present writ petition.

5. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr.S.Prabhakaran, learned Government Advocate, who appears on behalf the respondents 1 to 3.

6. Considering the limited request of the petitioner and taking note of the fact that the petitioner's representations dated 19.03.2025 and 04.08.2025 have not been considered to date by the respondents, a mandamus is issued to the respondents to consider the representations of the petitioner in accordance with law, and shall pass a speaking order within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

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7. With the above directions, the writ petition is allowed. No costs. 20.08.2025 Index : Yes / No ds To :

1.The Secretary Department of School Education Secretariat Fort St.George, Chennai - 600 009.

2.The Director of School Education DPI Campus Nungambakkam Chennai - 600 006.

3.The Chief Educational Officer Office of the Chief Educational Office Thiruvannamalai District.

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P.T. ASHA, J, ds 20.08.2025 6/6