S.Rajendran v. State Of Tamil Nadu
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 11-11-2025
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI & WMP.Nos.32390 & 32393 of 2023
1. S.Rajendran S/o.Semalaiyappa Gounder, No.81, Udumalai Road, N.M.Nagar, Dharapuram- 638 656, Tiruppur District.
2.N.Rajamani S/o.Nachimuthu Gounder, Krishnapuram, Poonnivadi Post, Dharapuram Taluk- 638 673, Tiruppur District.
Petitioner(s) Vs 1.State of Tamil Nadu Rep by its Secretary to Government, Backward Class, Most Backward Class Welfare Department, Secretariate, Fort St. George, Chennai- 600 009.
2.The Director / Commissioner Directorate of Backward Classes Welfare, Ezhilagam Annexure
Building, II Floor, Chepauk, Chennai - 600 005.
3.Tamil Nadu Backward Classes Economic Development Corporation Ltd., (TABCEDCO), Rep. by its Managing Director, No.1/1, Mayar Ramanathan Salai, Egmore, Chennai- 600 008.
4.The District Collector Tiruppur District Collectorate, Tiruppur - 641 604.
5.The District Backward Classes & Minorities Welfare Officer, Tiruppur District at Tiruppur.
6.The Superintending Engineer, Tamil Nadu Electricity Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) Palladam, Tiruppur District.
Respondent(s) PRAYER This Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, seeking for a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to Provide Free Power Supply Connections in favour of the Petitioners to do agricultural activities in their respective lands, viz., (i) Nanjai Lands comprised in Survey No.1030/5 measuring 0.9514 cents and Survey No.1045/2 measuring 3.5336 acres, totalling to 4.48.50 acres, situated at Sirukinaru Village, Dharapuram Taluk, Thiruppur District (owned by the first petitioner) and (ii) Lands comprised in Survey No. 193/ 3 measuring 4.3243 acres, Survey no.193/2 measuring 0.0499 cents and survey No.195/4 measuring 0.0250 cents, totalling to 4.39.92 acres,
situated at Ponnivadi Village, Dharapuram Taluk, Thiruppur District (owned by the 2 nd Petitioner ), within a time fixed by this Hon'ble Court. For Petitioner(s):
Mr.K.Premkumar For Respondent(s):
Mrs.S.Anitha, Special Government Pleader for RR1 to 5 Mr.L.Jai Venkatesh Standing Counsel for R6
ORDER
The petitioners identified themselves as small farmers and seek a direction to the respondents to provide them with free power supply to their agricultural lands.
2.The facts leading to the filing of this writ petition are as follows; It is the case of the petitioners that they belong to the Backward Class community and they own a little over 4 acre of agricultural land in Tiruppur District. They have been identified and certified as small farmers by the Government of Tamil Nadu. According to the petitioners, the Government has rolled out various beneficiary schemes to the farmers and one such beneficiary scheme is providing free electricity supply to agricultural lands. The petitioners with a view to avail the said benefit, applied for digging bore well to irrigate their
agricultural lands. The petitioners were also provided 50% subsidy for the said purpose. After the installation of bore wells, the petitioners applied for free electricity supply. In this regard, they submitted a representation to the authorities. The fifth respondent responded by stating that no quota is available for Tiruppur District to provide free power supply. 3.The petitioners collected information through RTI and found that in the neighbouring districts of Coimbatore and Nilgiris, un-utilized free electricity service connections are available and the petitioners could be given connection in the said un-uilized service connections.
Further, in the Tiruppur District, out of 12 free electricity service connection, two connections have not been utilised as of now and that the petitioners case could be considered favourably for providing free electricity service connection. Seeking a direction to the respondents in this regard, the present writ petition has been filed. 4.Per contra, the respondents 1 to 5 have filed a counter affidavit stating that as on 31.03.2022, there are more than 4.
seeking for free electricity supply connection. The respondents have also taken a stand that the electricity supply connection will be given to the respondents on seniority basis. He would further add that the petitioners made an application seeking for free electricity supply connection on 03.06.2022, however, the seniority reached in May 2022 and that the gap is only within months and therefore, the application of the petitioners will be considered once the seniority reaches.
5.Therefore, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents to provide free power supply service connection to the petitioners once the seniority reaches. No costs. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petitions are closed.
11-11-2025 Tsg Index:Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order Internet:Yes
To 1.State of Tamil Nadu Rep by its Secretary to Government, Backward Class, Most Backward Class Welfare Department, Secretariate, Fort St. George, Chennai- 600 009.
2.The Director / Commissioner Directorate of Backward Classes Welfare, Ezhilagam Annexure Building, II Floor, Chepauk, Chennai - 600 005.
3.Tamil Nadu Backward Classes Economic Development Corporation Ltd., (TABCEDCO), Rep. by its Managing Director, No.1/1, Mayar Ramanathan Salai, Egmore, Chennai- 600 008.
4.The District Collector Tiruppur District Collectorate, Tiruppur - 641 604.
5.The District Backward Classes & Minorities Welfare Officer, Tiruppur District at Tiruppur.
6.The Superintending Engineer, Tamil Nadu Electricity Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) Palladam,
Tiruppur District.
M.DHANDAPANI J.
Tsg
11-11-2025