P.Saravanan v. The Additional Chief Secretary

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 06.01.2026

CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE DR.JUSTICE G.JAYACHANDRAN and THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE K.K.RAMAKRISHNAN and W.M.P.(MD) Nos.186, 187, 188 & 189 of 2026 P.Saravanan ... Petitioner -vs1.The Additional Chief Secretary Government of Tamil Nadu Finance Department Secretariat, Fort St.George Chennai-600 009 2.The Additional Chief Secretary Government of Tamil Nadu Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department Secretariat, Fort St.George Chennai-600 009 3.The Director of Municipal Administration O/o.Directorate of Municipal Administration No.75, Urban Administrative Building Santhome High Road, MRC Nagar Raja Annamalaipuram, Chennai-600 028

4.The District Collector Kanniyakumari District Collectorate, Nagercoil Kanniyakumari District 5.The Commissioner Kanniyakumari Municipality Kanniyakumari Kanniyakumari District 6.The Joint Commissioner Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department Suchindram Kanniyakumari District ... Respondents PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a writ of certiorarified mandamus to call for the records pertaining to the impugned tender notification published by the 5th respondent in Na.Ka.No. 1000/2025/A2 dated 18.12.2025 and quash the same and consequently direct the respondent Nos.1 to 6 to provide clean and hygienic public toilets for free of cost at Ayyan Thiruvalluvar Road and also in various other tourist places and pilgrim gathered places in Kanniyakumari District. For Petitioner :

Mr.T.Sundaravadanam For Respondents :

Mr.P.Thilakkumar Government Pleader for R1 to R4 Mr.H.Arumugam for R5 Mr.R.Shankar Ganesh for R6

O R D E R

[Order of the Court was made by DR.G.JAYACHANDRAN, J.] This writ petition has been filed challenging the tender notification dated 18.12.2025, issued by the fifth respondent, in respect of maintaining the pay and use toilet and bathroom situated near the View Point, Kanyakumari Municipality.

2. According to the petitioner, this Court, earlier in a public interest litigation, considered the Swachh Bharat Scheme introduced by the Government of India and suggested that the State Government should provide adequate number of public toilets with all facilities all over the State, at free of cost, wherever it is possible. However, according to the petitioner, in violation of the order passed by this Court, the impugned notification has been issued by the fifth respondent inviting tenders for maintaining the pay and use public toilet and bathroom.

3. This Court finds that the suggestion given by this Court in the earlier writ petition is only recommendatory in nature i.e. wherever it is possible, the toilet facility must be at free of cost. The petitioner cannot expect

the State Government to provide facilities at free of cost at all places. If the State Government thought it fit that providing a better facility by collecting a nominal fee would be helpful to the public, the same cannot be questioned. We are of the view that no public interest is involved in this writ petition, except an ulterior design to protect the erstwhile contractor to squat over the property and make money. Hence, this writ petition is devoid of merits.

4. Accordingly, this writ petition is dismissed as devoid of merits. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed. [G.J., J.] [K.K.R.K., J.] 06.01.2026 NCC :

Yes / No Index :

Yes / No Internet :

Yes / No krk To:

1.The Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, Finance Department, Secretariat, Fort St.George, Chennai-600 009.

2.The Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, Secretariat, Fort St.George, Chennai-600 009.

3.The Director of Municipal Administration, O/o.Directorate of Municipal Administration, No.75, Urban Administrative Building, Santhome High Road, MRC Nagar, Raja Annamalaipuram, Chennai-600 028.

4.The District Collector, Kanniyakumari District, Collectorate, Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari District.

DR.G.JAYACHANDRAN, J.

AND K.K.RAMAKRISHNAN, J.

krk and W.M.P.(MD) Nos.186, 187, 188 & 189 of 2026 06.01.2026