Pradeep v. The State Of Tamilnadu

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 18.12.2025

CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE DR.JUSTICE G. JAYACHANDRAN AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE K.K. RAMAKRISHNAN and C.M.P.(MD)No.20202 of 2025 Pradeep ... Appellant Vs.

1.The State of Tamilnadu, Rep.by its Secretary (Home Department), Secretariat, Fort St.George, Chennai-600 009.

2.The Director General of Police, Head of Police, Dr.Radhakrishnan Salai, Mylapore, Chennai-600 004.

3.The Chairman, Tamilnadu Uniform Services Recruitment Board, Old Commissioner of Police Office Campus, Egmore, Chennai.

4.The Member Secretary, Tamilnadu Uniform Services Recruitment Board, Old Commissioner of Police Office Campus, Egmore, Chennai.

... Respondents 1/6

PRAYER:- Writ Appeal - filed under Clause 15 of the Letters Patent, to set aside the order passed by this Court in W.P.(MD)No.32284 of 2025 dated 12.11.2025.

For Appellant : Mr.K.K.Samy For Respondents : Mr.Veerakathiravan Additional Advocate General assisted by Mr.S.R.A.Ramachandran Additional Government Pleader

JUDGMENT

(Judgment of the Court was delivered by DR.G.JAYACHANDRAN, J.) The appellant herein is a Police Constable and an in-service candidate, aspiring for appointment to the post of Sub-Inspector under the 20% quota earmarked for in-service candidates. Unfortunately, on the date of notification, the cut-off date for requisite completion of five years of service was fixed as 01.07.2024, which the appellant had not completed.

2.Referring to the recruitment notifications of previous years, the learned counsel for the appellant contended that in all earlier recruitments, the cut-off date for determining eligibility fell within the year of the notification and not the preceding year. However, for the first time, the Recruitment Rules were modified to the disadvantage of the 2/6

appellant by fixing the date for reckoning the required period of service as 01.07.2024, i.e., the year preceding the notification for selection. 3.The cause of grievance espoused by the learned counsel for the appellant is that for the recruitment of Sub Inspector, both direct and in-service candidate, notification was published on 04.04.2025. If the cut of date was fixed as it was in the previous year notifications, then the petitioner will be fully eligible to participate. However, by changing the Rule and prescribing that the requisite five years of service in the respective category should be reckoned as on 1st July of the year preceding the notification for selection, the appellant has been seriously prejudiced.

4.On the other hand, the learned Additional Advocate General appearing on behalf of the State would submit that the service rules had been amended vide G.O.Ms.No.168, Home (Police VI) Department, dated 02.03.2017, wherein the eligibility for appointment to the post of Sub-Inspector of Police under the 20% in-service candidate quota was prescribed as 47 years of age and five years of completed service. For the purpose of reckoning the said period of service, 1st July of the year preceding the notification has been fixed as the cut-off date. Since the 3/6

notification is dated 04.04.2025, the eligibility has to be reckoned with reference to 01.07.2024 and not 01.07.2025 as claimed by the learned counsel for the appellant.

5.This Court finds force in the submission made by the learned Additional Government Pleader, since it is in consonance with G.O.Ms.No.168, dated 02.03.2017. No doubt, the said amendment had not been followed during the previous year recruitments conducted during the year 2017 - 2024. However, that wrong cannot justify another wrong. Therefore, this Court is of the view that the order passed by the learned Single Judge has to be sustained.

6.Accordingly, the present writ appeal challenging the order of the learned Single is dismissed. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed. There shall be no order as to costs. [G.J., J.] & [K.K.R.K., J.] 18.12.2025 Index :Yes/No Internet :Yes ta 4/6

To 1.The Secretary (Home Department), Secretariat, Fort St.George, Chennai-600 009.

2.The Director General of Police, Head of Police, Dr.Radhakrishnan Salai, Mylapore, Chennai-600 004.

3.The Chairman, Tamilnadu Uniform Services Recruitment Board, Old Commissioner of Police Office Campus, Egmore, Chennai.

4.The Member Secretary, Tamilnadu Uniform Services Recruitment Board, Old Commissioner of Police Office Campus, Egmore, Chennai.

5/6

DR.

G. JAYACHANDRAN , J.

AND K.K. RAMAKRISHNAN, J.

ta 18.12.2025 6/6