Madras High CourtWP(MD)/18765/2019dismissed as infructuous

S.Mariappan v. The Chief Secretary To Government

2026-03-04Honourable Mr Justice N. Sathish Kumar,Honourable Mr.Justice M.Jothiraman7 pages

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 04.03.2026

CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE N.SATHISH KUMAR and THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.JOTHIRAMAN and W.M.P(MD)Nos.15105 & 15106 of 2019 & 4433 of 2024 S.Mariappan ... Petitioner vs.

1.The Chief Secretary to Government, Government of Tamil Nadu, Secretariat, Chennai.

2.The Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu, Public Works Department, Secretariat, Chennai.

3.The District Collector, Tirunelveli District, Tirunelveli.

4.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Tirunelveli District, Tirunelveli.

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5.The Tahsildar, Tirunelveli Taluk, Tirunelveli District.

6.The Tahsildar, Palayamkottai Taluk, Tirunelveli District.

7.The Executive Engineer, Tamirabarani Basin, Public Works Department (PWD), Tirunelveli, Tirunelveli District.

8.The Executive Engineer, Public Works Department/Water Resources Organization, Tamirabarani Basin Division, Tirunelveli, Tirunelveli District.

9.The Deputy Director, Department of Geology and Mining, Tirunelveli, Tirunelveli District.

10.The Superintendent of Police, Tirunelveli, Tirunelveli District.

11.The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Tirunelveli Rural, Thalayaiyoothu, Tirunelveli District.

12.The Inspector of Police, Seevalaperi Police Station, Tirunelveli District.

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13.P.Kumaresan 14.P.Ravi ... Respondents PRAYER : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, to call for the records pertaining to the impugned order issued by the third respondent in favour of the 14th respondent through his proceedings in M2/2203/2017 dated 27.02.2018 quash the same and consequently direct the respondents 1 to 12 to restrain the respondents 13th and 14th from committing illegal river sand mining in Seevalaperi Revenue village, Palayamkottai Taluk, and Kuppakurichi Revenue Village, Palayamkottai Taluk in Tirunelveli District. For Petitioner : Mr.L.Shaji Chellan For Respondents : Mr.D.Sasikumar (R1 to R7 & R9 to R12) Additional Government Pleader : Mr.Raguvaran Gopalan (R8) : Mr.K.Prabhakar (R13) : Mr.R.Anand (R14)

ORDER

(Order of the Court was made by N.SATHISH KUMAR, J.) This Writ Petition has been filed to quash the impugned order issued by the third respondent in favour of the 14th respondent in proceedings No. M2/2203/2017 dated 27.02.2018 and consequently to direct respondents 1 to 12 3/7

to restrain respondents 13 and 14 from carrying out illegal river sand mining in Seevalaperi Revenue Village, Palayamkottai Taluk, and Kuppakurichi Revenue Village, Palayamkottai Taluk, in Tirunelveli District. 2.When the matter is taken up for hearing today, the learned Additional Government Pleader appearing for the respondents 1 to 7 and 9 to 12, on instructions, submitted that as per the proceedings of the District Collector, Tirunelveli, dated 15.02.2021, the quarry has not been in operation since March 2019. It was further submitted that the licence has been cancelled and the lease period has also expired. Therefore, nothing survives for adjudication in the present Writ Petition.

3.Recording the said submission, this Writ Petition is dismissed as infructuous. There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, the connected Miscellaneous Petitions are closed.

[N.S.K.,J.] [M.J.R.,J.] 04.03.2026 (1/2) NCC : Yes / No Index : Yes / No ps 4/7

To 1.The Chief Secretary to Government, Government of Tamil Nadu, Secretariat, Chennai.