Suganya V v. The Government Of Tamilnadu Represented By The Commissioner
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT Dated : 10.12.2025
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE B.PUGALENDHI WP(MD)No.35421 of 2025 and WMP(MD)Nos.28115, 28117 and 28120 of 2025 V.Suganya ... Petitioner Vs.
1. The Government of Tamilnadu, Represented by the Commissioner, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Chennai.
2. The District Collector, Dindigul District.
... Respondents Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, to call for the records of the impugned letter published by the 1st respondent dated Nil through online on 05.12.2025 and quash the same and consequently direct the respondents to permit the petitioner to participate in the selection process for the post of Village Panchayat Secretary on the basis of the Notification bearing proceedings Na.Ka. No.7088/2025/U.Va.9 1/8
dated 09.10.2025 issued by the 1st respondent. For Petitioner : Mr.Gnana Gurunathan For Respondents : Mr.Ajmal Khan, Additional Advocate General, assisted by Mr.C.Venkatesh Kumar
ORDER
The petitioner is a destitute widow and belongs to Most Backward Community/Denotified Community. She applied for the post of Village Panchayat Secretaries, pursuant to the Notification dated 09.10.2025. The petitioner, with a grievance that the selection process has not been conducted in accordance with the Tamil Nadu Village Panchayat Secretaries (Conditions of Service) Rules, 2023, has filed this writ petition.
2. The learned counsel for the petitioner, by referring to Rule 3(2) of the Tamil Nadu Village Panchayat Secretaries (Conditions of Service) Rules, 2023 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Rules'), submitted that the Village Panchayat Secretaries shall be selected through open competitive recruitment process and also as ordered by the Government. In this case, there was no proper open competitive recruitment process adopted in 2/8
selecting the candidates for the Village Panchayat Secretaries in Dindigul District. Therefore, the petitioner has not been shortlisted for the interview.
3. The learned Additional Advocate General appearing for the respondents submitted that the petitioner, under the impression that the open competitive recruitment process as mentioned in Rule 3(2) of the Rules amounts to a written examination, has filed this writ petition. The learned Additional Advocate General has clarified that the Government of Tamil Nadu has issued certain directions as to the manner in which the recruitment process has to be conducted, vide G.O.Ms.No.198, Rural Development Panchayati Raj (E5) Department, dated 04.09.2025. As per this Government Order, the Panchayat Secretaries will be selected based on the evaluation of the marks obtained in 10th standard public examination and interview. This G.O. also prescirbes that 85% marks to be awarded based on the marks obtained in the 10th standard public examination and 15% marks to be awarded for interview. The evaluation of the marks is also prescribed in clause VII of the said G.O. 3.1. With regard to the interview also, the learned Additional 3/8
Advocate General clarified the manner in which the interview marks are awarded as per clause X of the said G.O. Therefore, according to the learned Additional Advocate General, the selection process has been conducted in a proper manner and there is no violation in the selection process.
4. The learned Additional Advocate General further submitted that the petitioner is eligible under MBC/DNC (women) category and also under MBC/DNC (Destitute widow) category. Out of 39 posts, 2 posts have been allotted for MBC/DNC (General), 2 posts for MCB/DNC (Women) and 2 posts for MBC/DNC (Destitute Widow). The learned Additional Advocate General, by furnishing the details about the cut off marks and weightage for these categories as per clause VII of the said G.O., submitted that the petitioner has scored only 220 marks in 10th standard and her weightage comes around 37.40 and therefore, she has not been shortlisted for interview.
5. This Court considered the rival submissions made.
6. The petitioner has applied for the post of Village Panchayat 4/8
Secretaries, pursuant to the Notification issued by the District Administration dated 09.10.2025. She is a destitute widow and belongs to Most Backward Community/Denotified Community. The selection of Village Panchayat Secretary is made as per the Tamil Nadu Village Panchayat Secretaries (Conditions of Service) Rules, 2023. As per Rule 3, the Village Panchayat Secretaries shall be selected only by direct recruitment and through open competitive recruitment process. The recruitment shall be done by the District Level Committee chaired by the District Collector and consisting of Project Director/Additional Collector (Development), District Rural Development Agency, Assistant Director (Panchayats) and Personal Assistant to Collector (Development) as its members and the recruitment shall be done in the manner as may be ordered by the Government.
7. The Government, vide G.O.Ms.No.198, Rural Development Panchayat Raj Department dated 04.09.2025, issued guidelines for appointment of Village Panchayat Secretaries, as per the Tamil Nadu Village Panchayat Secretaries (Conditions of Service) Rules, 2023. As per the guidelines issued in the said G.O., the marks obtained in the 10th standard public examination and marks secured during the interview, are 5/8
the main criteria for selection of the candidates and 85% marks to be awarded for the marks obtained in the 10th standard and 15 marks to be awarded for interview. The evaluation of 10th standard mark is also by calculating the percentage of total marks secured by the candidates. Based on this evaluation, the rank list of the applicants would be published and the candidates would be selected for interview in the ratio of 1:5 in descending order of the merit list for the total vacancies allotted in each rotation system. In the event, if there is shortage for 1:5 ratio, total number of candidates applied should be called to participate in the interview.
8. As per the written instructions provided by the District Collector, Dindigul, the weightage for MBC/DNC (General), MBC/DNC (Women) and MBC/DNC (Destitute widow) are noted as under: Category Cut off Marks Weightage MBC/DNC (General) 82.45 MBC/DNC (Women) 81.77 MBC/DNC (Destitute Widow) 63.24
9. In this case, the petitioner has scored only 220 marks in the 10th 6/8
standard. Therefore, she has secured the weightage of 37.40% in 10th standard.
10. In view of the above, this Court is not inclined to entertain this writ petition. Accordingly, this writ petition is dismissed.
11. The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that as per clause VII of G.O.Ms.No.198 dated 04.09.2025, the rank list has to be published. But, the rank list has not been published in the Tamil Nadu Rural Development website. This allegation has been denied by the learned Additional Advocate General.
12. In the event, if the rank list has not been published in the website, the same shall be published with immediate effect. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed. 10.12.2025 ogy Index : Yes / No.
Internet : Yes / No.
NCC : Yes / No.
B.PUGALENDHI, J.
ogy 7/8
To
1. The Commissioner, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Chennai.
2. The District Collector, Dindigul District.
ORDER
IN WP(MD) No.35421 of 2025 Date : 10/12/2025 8/8