P.Suresh v. The Commissioner
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 21.01.2025
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE MRS.JUSTICE N.MALA P.Suresh ...
Petitioner -vs1 The Commissioner, Tamilnadu State Information Commission, Block No.19, Government Farm Village Panepet, Nandanam, Chennai 600 035.
2 The District Adi Dravidar Welfare Officer and Tribal Welfare Officer, Collectorate Campus, Madurai.
3 The Special Tahsildar / Public Information Officer, Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department (L.A), Unit-II, Collectorate Campus, Madurai.
...
Respondents PRAYER: Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a writ of mandamus, directing the respondents to furnish the certified copies of the documents sought for by the petitioner in his application, dated 14.08.2024.
For Petitioner :
Mr.C.T.Perumal For Respondent 1 : Mr.Raghuvaran Gopalan For Respondents 2 & 3 : Mr.M.Muthumanikkam, Govt. Advocate.
ORDER
The petitioner has filed this Writ Petition for a mandamus, directing the respondents to furnish the certified copies of the documents sought for by the petitioner in his application, dated 14.08.2024.
2. The petitioner is a practising Advocate before the District Court and the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court. The lands in R.S.No.57/3B1, 57/3B2 and 58/3B2 of Andarkottaram Village, Madurai North Taluk, Madurai District, were allotted to Adi-Dravidar people for their common usage, which were encroached in large scale by outsiders. The petitioner, therefore, made an application to the third respondent on 14.08.2024, seeking six items of information under Section 6 (1) of the Right To Information Act. Since there was no response from the third respondent, the petitioner preferred an appeal to the second respondent. In pursuance of the petitioner's appeal, the second respondent directed the third respondent to furnish the information on the
petitioner's application to the second respondent on or before 10.10.2024. Even thereafter, no action was taken. Therefore, the petitioner preferred a second appeal to the first respondent on 30.10.2024. Even the first respondent, in spite of receipt of second appeal, did not take any action. Hence, the petitioner filed the above writ petition for the aforesaid relief.
3. Learned counsel for the first respondent, on instructions, submits that the petitioner's second appeal has been numbered and, therefore, a reasonable time of six months be granted to pass orders on the petitioner's second appeal.
4. In the light of the submission made by the learned counsel for the first respondent, the first respondent is directed to pass orders on the petitioner's second appeal within a period of eighteen weeks from the date of receipt of this order.
5. Writ Petition is disposed of accordingly. No costs. 21.01.2025 NCC :
Yes / No Index :
Yes / No Internet :
Yes / No dixit
To:
1 The Commissioner, Tamilnadu State Information Commission, Block No.19, Government Farm Village Panepet, Nandanam, Chennai 600 035.
2 The District Adi Dravidar Welfare Officer and Tribal Welfare Officer, Collectorate Campus, Madurai.
3 The Special Tahsildar / Public Information Officer, Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department (L.A), Unit-II, Collectorate Campus, Madurai.
N.MALA, J.
dixit 21.01.2025