Thanthani Village Panchayat v. The Secretary To Government Of India

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 13.02.2026

CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE R.VIJAYAKUMAR and W.M.P(MD).Nos.26466 and 26477 of 2023 Thanthani Village Panchayat, Represented by its President, S.Meyanathan, Thanthani Post, Aranthangi Taluk, Pudukkottai District.

... Petitioner in W.P.(MD).No.30824 of 2023 Edayar Village Panchayat, Represented by its President, S.Vellaisamy, Puthuvakottai Post, Aranthangi Taluk, Pudukkottai District.

... Petitioner in W.P.(MD).No.30825 of 2023 Vs.

1.The Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Rishi Bhavan, Dr.Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi.

2.The Principal Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu, Department of Rural Development of Panchayat Raj, 1/5

Secretariat, Chennai.

3.Director of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Directorate of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Panagal Buildings Road, Chennai.

4.The District Collector, Pudukkottai.

5.The Assistant Director of Panchayat, Office of the District Collector, Pudukkottai.

6.The Block Development Officer (Village Panchayat), Office of the Aranthangi Panchayat Union, Aranthangi Post and Taluk, Pudukkottai.

... Respondents in both W.P.s COMMON PRAYER: Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this court to issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents to ensure that adequate funds under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Guarantee Scheme for the road works have been distributed equally among the Village Panchayats and also adequate funds shall be allocated to Thanthani Village Panchayat of Aranthangi Taluk and Pudukkottai District.

For Petitioner :

Mr.P.Ganapathi Subramanian (in both cases) For R1 :

Mr.C.Nandagopal, (in both cases) Central Government Standing Counsel 2/5

For R2 to R6 :

M/s.D.Farjana Ghoushia, (in both cases) Special Government Pleader C O M M O N O R D E R These writ petitions have been filed seeking a writ of mandamus directing the respondents to ensure that adequate funds under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme are distributed equally among the Village Panchayats for road works and that adequate funds are allocated to Thanthani Village Panchayat, Aranthangi Taluk, Pudukkottai District.

2. Considering the fact that the writ petitions have been filed by the President of the Village Panchayat and are in the nature of Public Interest Litigations, this Court is not inclined to entertain the same in the present form. Accordingly, these writ petitions stand disposed of, with liberty to the petitioners to file appropriate writ petitions in public interest, if they are so advised. There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petitions are closed.

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To 1.The Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Rishi Bhavan, Dr.Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi.

2.The Principal Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu, Department of Rural Development of Panchayat Raj, Secretariat, Chennai.

3.The Director of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Directorate of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Panagal Buildings Road, Chennai.

4.The District Collector, Pudukkottai.

5.The Assistant Director of Panchayat, Office of the District Collector, Pudukkottai.

6.The Block Development Officer (Village Panchayat), Office of the Aranthangi Panchayat Union, Aranthangi Post and Taluk, Pudukkottai.

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R.VIJAYAKUMAR,J.

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