S.K.Shrirudhran, v. The District Collector
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 10-02-2026
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE R. SURESH KUMAR & THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE SHAMIM AHMED & CMP NO. 28540 OF 2025 S.K.Shrirudhran, S/o. Karuppiah, Bharati Street, Sankar Nagar, Ponneri Taluk, Thiruvallur District-204.
..Appellant Vs
1. The District Collector Thiruvallur.
2. The Sub Collector Ponneri, Thiruvallur District.
3. Kandhan Zonal Deputy Tahsildar, Gumidipoondi Taluk, Thiruvallur District.
..Respondents Prayer: Writ Appeal filed under Clause 15 of the Letters Patent to set aside the order of the learned Judge in dismissing the Writ Petition in WP No.13559 of 2025, dated 09.07.2025.
For Appellants :
Mr.A.G.Vedavikas For Respondent :
Mr.S.Yaswanth Addl Government Pleader for R1 & R2
JUDGMENT
(Judgment of the Court was delivered by R.Suresh Kumar J.) This intra court appeal has been directed against the order passed by the Writ Court, dated 09.07.2025 made in W.P.No.13559 of 2025.
2. The appellant was the writ petitioner who was working as a Village Administrative Officer. Very recently only, he had been posted at Kettanamalli village in Gummidipooni Taluk, from where, through the order dated 17.03.2025, he had been transferred to Tiruttani Taluk. Challenging the said transfer order, he had filed the said Writ Petition invoking the mandatory guidelines issued in this regard in GO.Ms.No.10, dated 07.01.1994 issued by the P & A R Department, where, the transfer within three years period normally would be prohibited, unless it warranted for an administrative exigency.
3. However, the learned Writ Court, having considered the case projected by the Appellant/writ petitioner, as well as the counter case stated by
the respondents, ultimately had dismissed the writ petition through the impugned order. Aggrieved over the same, the present appeal is directed at the instance of the writ petitioner/appellant.
4. During the last hearing, after hearing the learned counsel appearing for both sides, We directed the learned Addl. Govt. Pleader appearing for the respondents to verify whether there is any vacancy available in the nearby villages, if not, in the same village, from where he has been transferred.
5. In response to our query, Mr. S. Yashwanth, learned Addl. Govt. Pleader appearing for the respondents has received written instructions from the District Collector, Tiruvallur District on 04.02.2026, whereby, it has been suggested that there are three villages, which are vacant in Tiruvallur Division, two at Uthukottai Taluk, one at Tiruvallur Taluk and one more village as vacant at Ponneri village at Gummidipoondi Taluk.
6. However, Mr.Avinash Wadwani, learned counsel appearing for the Appellant would submit that from the very nearby village called Nandhiyambakkam in Ponneri Taluk, Village Administrative Officer post is vacant and in the said post, now, one Loganathan, who is actually the Village Administrative Officer for Ennore Village, was posted as in-charge and therefore in that place, the appellant/writ petitioner can be accommodated for
the time being, so that, his family need not be disturbed at the middle of the year, is his contention.
7. Having regard to the said submission made by learned counsel appearing for both parties and having regard to the aforestated facts, We do feel that for the time being, the Appellant/writ petitioner can be accommodated in the said Nandhiyambakkam Village which is already vacant and being under the in-charge of one Loganathan, who is otherwise the Village Administrative Officer of Ennore village and such an arrangement, if it is made, the Appellant can be permitted to work for some time in Nandhiambakkam village till his case is considered at the time of general transfer to be made through out the Division during the year in the month of May 2026.
8. In that view of the matter, this Court is inclined to dispose of the writ Appeal with the following order:
(a) That the order passed by the Writ Court is set aside and the order dated 17.03.2025 issued by the 1st respondent which was impugned before the Writ Court also is set aside. (b) As a sequel, there shall be a direction to the 1st respondent/District Collector to post the Appellant/writ petitioner at 136, Nandhiambakkam Village in Ponneri Taluk
and in the said Nandhiyambakkam Village, the Appellant/writ petitioner can be accommodated for the time being as Village Administrative Officer, (c) However, posting of him at Nandhiyambakkam village will be subject to the consideration of general transfer, which would normally be made in the month of May every year and at that time, depending upon the administrative exigencies in the District and also on the basis of the request to be made by various working Village Administrative Officers as well as the vacancy position, a suitable decision can be taken by the Transferring Authority, i.e., the 1st respondent. (d) Till such time, the Appellant/writ petitioner can be permitted to work at Nandhiyambakkam.
The necessary orders to that effect, as indicted above shall be passed by the 1st respondent immediately at the most, within a period of one week from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. (e) In view of this order, all subsequent transfer orders, if any, made in favour of the Appellant/writ petitioner shall stand automatically set aside and the direction given herein above shall be complied with by the District Collector.
8. With the above directions the order passed by the Writ Court is set aside and the Writ Appeal is accordingly ordered. However, there shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petition is closed.
[R.S.K.,J.] [S.S.A.,J.] 10-02-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order msr Note: Issue copy of 12.02.2026 To
1. The District Collector Thiruvallur.
2. The Sub Collector Ponneri, Thiruvallur District.
3. Kandhan Zonal Deputy Tahsildar, Gumidipoondi Taluk, Thiruvallur District.
R.SURESH KUMAR J.
& SHAMIM AHMED J.
msr & CMP NO. 28540 OF 2025 10-02-2026