P.Kommbaiah v. The Director,

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 04.03.2025

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.R.SWAMINATHAN and THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.JOTHIRAMAN P.Kommbaiah ... Appellant / Petitioner Vs.

1.The Director, Information and Public Relations Department, Secretariat, Chennai - 600 009.

2.The District Collector, Office of District Collector, Tenkasi District, Tenkasi.

3.The Special Sub Collector (GDP), District Collectorate Office, Tenkasi District.

4.The Information and Public Relation Officer, Tenkasi District, Tenkasi District.

... Respondents / Respondents Prayer : Writ Appeal filed under Clause XV of Letters Patent, to allow the writ appeal and set aside the order dated 29.09.2022 passed in W.P.(MD).No.22951 of 2022 on the file of this Court. 1/5

For Appellant : Mr.A.Haja Mohideen For Respondents : Mr.G.V.Vairam Santhosh, Addl. Government Pleader.

JUDGMENT

(Judgment of the court was delivered by G.R.Swaminathan, J.) Heard both sides.

2.The appellant is said to be a journalist. He wants the respondents to issue him with free bus pass. Since the appellant's request was negatived, he filed W.P.(MD)No.22951 of 2022. The said writ petition was dismissed vide order dated 29.09.2022. Challenging the same, this writ appeal had been filed.

3.The learned counsel for the appellant reiterated all the contentions set out in the memorandum of grounds of writ appeal and called upon this Court to set aside the order passed by the learned Single Judge and grant relief.

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4.Per contra, the learned Additional Government Pleader submitted that the impugned order does not call for interference. 5.We carefully considered the rival contentions and went through the materials on record. The reason for rejection is that the newspaper in which the appellant is employed is not having proper circulation. This is a pure question of fact. It is for the authorities to consider, if the appellant fulfils the requisite parameters. That is why, the learned Single Judge even while dismissing the writ petition had granted liberty to the appellant to apply for free bus pass in future. If the parameters laid down by the respondents are fulfilled, the respondents would definitely, consider the appellant's case favourably. We are therefore of the view that interference with the impugned order is not warranted and the writ appeal stands dismissed. No costs.

(G.R.S. J.,) & (M.J.R. J.,) 04.03.2025 NCC : Yes/No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes/ No ias 3/5

To:

1.The Director, Information and Public Relations Department, Secretariat, Chennai - 600 009.

2.The District Collector, Office of District Collector, Tenkasi District, Tenkasi.

3.The Special Sub Collector (GDP), District Collectorate Office, Tenkasi District.

4.The Information and Public Relation Officer, Tenkasi District, Tenkasi District.

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G.R.SWAMINATHAN, J.

and M.JOTHIRAMAN, J.

ias 04.03.2025 5/5