A.Rajalingam v. Government Of

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED : 19.09.2025 CORAM :

THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA W.P.No.35763 of 2025 A.Rajalingam ... Petitioner Vs

1. Government of Tamil Nadu, Represented by Secretary to Government, Fort St. George, Chennai - 600 009.

2. The Chief Engineer, Chepauk, Chennai -05.

3. The Superintendent Engineer, (Construction & Management), Krishnagiri, Krishnagiri District.

4. The Divisional Engineer, (Construction & Management), Krishnagiri, Krishnagiri District.

... Respondents Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the fourth respondent to give promotion to the petitioner as Grade II Road Inspector from the date on which his juniors were promoted on the basis of the panel drawn for the year 2008 as 1/6

indicated by the fourth respondent dated 16.09.2008 and considering representation dated 10.09.2008 and 07.04.2025 & 11.08.2025 as per the order passed in W.P.No.28796 of 2023 dated 01.04.2024 and confer all the consequential benefits and pass orders.

For Petitioner :

Mr.P.Ganesan For Respondents :

Mr.R.U.Dinesh Raj Kumar Additional Government Pleader

ORDER

Mr.R.U.Dinesh Raj Kumar, learned Additional Government Pleader accepts notice on behalf of the Respondents. With consent of the learned counsel on either side, this writ petition is taken up for final disposal.

2. This Writ Petition has been filed to direct the fourth respondent to give promotion to the petitioner as Grade II Road Inspector from the date on which his juniors were promoted on the basis of the panel drawn for the year 2008 as indicated by the fourth respondent dated 16.09.2008 and considering representations dated 10.09.2008 and 07.04.2025 & 11.08.2025 as per the order passed in W.P.No.28796 of 2023 dated 01.04.2024 and confer all the consequential benefits.

3. The case of the petitioner is that he initially joined as a Road Worker in the office of the fourth respondent. At the time of appointment, he 2/6

had not completed 10th standard. However, he completed SSLC in the year 2001 itself. Despite this, his name was not included in the promotion panel in the year 2008. Again, a regular panel was drawn for the year 2013 -2014 by the fourth respondent and his juniors were granted promotion. Therefore, he filed W.P.No.2679/2022. As per the order of this Court, the fourth respondent considered his representation and gave a vague reply. Therefore, he filed another W.P.No.15189 of 2022, which is still pending before this Court. Thereafter, the petitioner collected information from the fourth respondent regarding the list of promoted persons from the year 2008 to 2014. His juniors were placed in SI.Nos.6 to 14. Now, three vacancies have arisen. Therefore, he made a representation to the respondents on 07.04.2025, requesting promotion as Road Inspector Grade - II. The respondents had not considered the same. Hence, this writ petition has been filed for the aforesaid relief.

4. The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner has sent a representation to the second and fourth respondents to include his name in the promotion panel. However, they have not considered and passed orders on his representation. Hence, he seeks a direction from this Court to the second and fourth respondents to consider his representation and pass appropriate orders within a stipulated period. 3/6

5. Mr.R.U.Dinesh Raj Kumar, learned Additional Government Pleader submitted that the fourth respondent is the appropriate authority to consider the representation of the petitioner.

6. Though several grounds have been raised in this writ petition, this Court finds that it would be appropriate to issue a direction to the fourth respondent, without going into the merits of the case, to consider the last representation of the petitioner dated 11.08.2025 and pass orders, on its own merits and in accordance with law, within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. It is made clear that this Court has not made any observation with regard to the merits of the petitioner's claim.

7. With the above direction, this Writ Petition is disposed of. No costs.

19.09.2025 dh Index: Yes/No Speaking Order/Non-speaking order To

1. Government of Tamil Nadu, Represented by Secretary to Government, Fort St. George, Chennai - 600 009.

4/6

2. The Chief Engineer, Chepauk, Chennai -05.

3. The Superintendent Engineer, (Construction & Management), Krishnagiri, Krishnagiri District.

4. The Divisional Engineer, (Construction & Management), Krishnagiri, Krishnagiri District.

5/6

A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA.J dh W.P.No.35763 of 2025 19.09.2025 6/6