V.V.Kapilan v. P.Senthilkumar
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT Dated : 05.06.2026
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE B.PUGALENDHI SUB A(MD)No.101 of 2026 in CONT P(MD)No.1698 of 2025 V.V.Kapilan ... Petitioner Vs.
1. Mr.P.Senthilkumar, The Additional Chief Secretary to Government , Health and Family Welfare Department, Secretariat, Chennai-600 009.
2. Mr.D.Karthikeyan, Principal Secretary to Government, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, Chennai-600 009.
... Respondents Petition filed under Section 151 of C.P.C. to re-open the Contempt Petition(MD)No.1698 of 2025 filed by the petitioner. For Petitioner : Ms.A.Amala For Respondents : Mr.S.Siva Subramanian, Counsel for State of Tamil Nadu (Civil side) 1/6
ORDER
The petitioner has filed a writ petition in W.P.(MD)No.14297 of 2024 challenging the impugned notification dated 09.02.2024 and consequently, seeking a direction to the respondents 1 and 2 to amend the rules of recruitment by fixing an uniform qualification for the post of Health Inspector and Sanitary Inspector as per G.O.(Ms)No.107, dated 13.04.2017 and G.O.Ms.No.104, dated 28.03.2023.
2. This Court, by order dated 09.07.2024, disposed of the writ petition as under:
"17. The petitioner and like others have lost the opportunity to apply to the post called for despite they had done the proper course. In fact, they have practical lapse as well. But for the oversight to amend the Rules on par with similar amendments done for Health Inspectors, the petitioners could have tried their chances for the posts of Sanitary Inspectors now called for. So, I feel in all fairness, the respondents 1 and 2 should consider and endeavour to amend the Rules so as to limit the basic educational requirement as plus two with the additional 2/6
qualification of complying two years Sanitary Inspector Certificate course and issue an addendum to accommodate the persons like petitioner also to apply for the post of Sanitary Inspector and compete with the other candidates and try their chances.
18. Even though the petitioner seems to have filed the writ petition shortly after the notification is issued, due to some technical reason, he can get it listed before the appropriate Bench after a considerable delay. So, at this stretch of time, I feel it is not appropriate to stall the selection process, though the respondents in their best wisdom consider to postpone the release of the results of the select list, until a decision is taken in this regard, in the light of the above observations, by considering the plight of the individuals like the petitioner.
19. With the above observations, the writ petition is disposed of. No costs. Consequently, connected Miscellaneous Petitions are closed. "
3. Complaining that the order of this Court passed in W.P. (MD)No.14297 of 2024 dated 09.07.2024 has not been complied with, the petitioner has filed a contempt petition in Cont.P.(MD)No.1698 of 3/6
2025. When the contempt petition was taken up for consideration on 30.01.2026, the learned Additional Advocate General, by referring to the proceedings of the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (ME.3) Department, Secretariat, Chennai, in Letter No.6203/M.E.3/2024-4, dated 28.07.2025, submitted that the order of this Court has been complied with. Based on the said submission, the contempt petition was closed, by order dated 30.01.2026.
4. Now, the petitioner has filed this sub application stating that the first respondent has not passed any order, pursuant to the direction of this Court.
5. When this sub application is taken up for hearing today, the learned Counsel for State of Tamil Nadu (Civil side), by referring to the Government Letter dated 21.04.2026, submits that the request of the petitioner for amending the Rules was considered and rejected. A copy of the Government Letter dated 21.04.2026 is also furnished to the learned counsel for the petitioner.
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6. Considering the nature of the order passed by this Court and the scope of the contempt petition, this sub application is closed with liberty to the petitioner to workout his remedy by challenging the Government Letter dated 21.04.2026.
05.06.2026 ogy Index : Yes / No.
Internet: Yes / No.
NCC : Yes / No.
To
1. Mr.P.Senthilkumar, The Additional Chief Secretary to Government , Health and Family Welfare Department, Secretariat, Chennai-600 009.
2. Mr.D.Karthikeyan, Principal Secretary to Government, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, Chennai-600 009.
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B.PUGALENDHI, J.
ogy SUB A(MD)No.101 of 2026 in CONT P(MD)No.1698 of 2025 05.06.2026 6/6