K.Yoosuf v. The Chairman/Additional Chief Secretary
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 22.09.2025 CORAM :
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA W.P.No.36295 of 2025 and WMP.No.40558 of 2025
1. K.Yoosuf Assistant Executive Engineer - Maintenance Division, Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, Salem.
2. G.Thangadurai Junior Engineer - Maintenance Division, Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, Salem.
3. J.Rajasekar Junior Engineer - Project Division, Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, Namakkal.
... Petitioners Vs
1. The Chairman/ Additional Chief Secretary Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, O/o. Of the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, Secretariat, Fort St. George, Chennai - 600 009.
2. The Managing Director, 1/6
Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, No.31, Kamarajar Salai, Chepauk, Chennai - 600 005.
... Respondents Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue Writ of Mandamus by forbearing the respondents from relaxing the conditions or qualification prescribed for awarding promotion to the posts governed by TWAD Board Regulation in TWAD Board Engineering Services and TWAD Board Subordinate Engineering services based on the representation dated 09.09.2025 and pass orders. For Petitioners :
Mr.E.K.Kumaresan For Respondents :
Mr.C.Selvaraj Additional Government Pleader for R1 Ms.Y.Kavitha for R2
ORDER
Mr.C.Selvaraj, learned Additional Government Pleader accepts notice on behalf of the first Respondent and Ms.Y.Kavitha, learned counsel accepts notice on behalf of the second respondent. With the consent of the learned counsel on either side, this writ petition is taken up for final disposal at the admission stage itself.
2. This Writ Petition has been filed to forbear the respondents from relaxing the conditions or qualification prescribed for awarding promotion to 2/6
the posts governed by TWAD Board Regulation in TWAD Board Engineering Services and TWAD Board Subordinate Engineering services based on the representation dated 09.09.2025.
3. The case of the petitioners is that they are working as Engineers in the TWAD Board. The said Board does not have any specific scale or rule for preparing the panel for promotion. This year also the Board has proposed to relax the service rules/service qualifications for promotion to the post of Executive Engineer, thereby calling for a list of Assistant Executive Engineers with less than five years of service, vide letter No.08721/E(Per)/A5/2025 dated 22.08.2025. In the above letter, the particulars of Assistant Executive Engineers who have completed two years of service were called for, to prepare the panel for promotion to the post of Executive Engineer. Hence, the petitioners submitted a representation on 09.09.2025, requesting that no relaxation be given in the service conditions while preparing the panel for promotion. Hence, this writ petition has been filed.
4. Heard bothsides.
5. The learned counsel for the second respondent would submit that 3/6
the Board has called for the list of eligible candidates and the confidential reports relating to the persons have also been called for, and other than that, the respondents are not proceeding any further.
6. Considering the limited relief sought for by the petitioner, without going into the merits of the case, a direction is issued to the respondents to consider the representation of the petitioner dated 09.09.2025 and pass orders, on its own merits and in accordance with law, within a period of four 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. Consequently, connected Miscellaneous Petition is closed. No costs. 22.09.2025 dh Index: Yes/No Speaking Order/Non-speaking order To
1. The Chairman/ Additional Chief Secretary 4/6
Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, O/o. Of the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, Secretariat, Fort St. George, Chennai - 600 009.
2. The Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, No.31, Kamarajar Salai, Chepauk, Chennai - 600 005.
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A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA.J dh W.P.No.36295 of 2025 22.09.2025 (1⁄2) 6/6