IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED : 19.11.2025 CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE Mr. JUSTICE G.K.ILANTHIRAIYAN W.P.No18113 of 2025 and WMP.Nos. 20267, 20268 and 20270 of 2025 V.Saradha Rukmani, W/o.John Batist Einstein …Petitioner Vs.

1. The Secretary to Government, Commercial Taxes and Registration Department, Fort St.George, Secretariat, Chennai – 600 009.

2. The Inspector General of Registration, O/o. Inspector General of Registration, 100, Santhome High Road, Mullima Nagar, Mandavelipakkam, Raja Annamalai Puram, Chennai – 600 028.

3. The Secretary to Government, Public Department, Fort St. George, Secretariat, Chennai – 600 009.

4. The Secretary, Union Public Service Commission, New Delhi – 69.

5. The Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, (Department of Personnel and Training)

New Delhi – 1. ...Respondents Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Certiorari, to call for the records of the impugned charge memo vide No.42569/V3/V4/2023 dated 29.01.2025 issued by the 2nd respondent and quash the same as illegal, arbitrary and non-est in law and thus render justice.

For Petitioner : Ms.Dakshayani Reddy, Senior Counsel for Mr.A.Maheshnath For Respondents : Mr. J.Ravindran, Additional Advocate General assisted by Mr.U.Baranidharan, Special Government Pleader [R1 to R3]

Mr.V.Chandrasekaran [R4]

Mr.M.Sathyan, Additional Central Government Standing Counsel

ORDER

The prayer sought for herein is for a Writ of Certiorari, to quash the impugned charge memo vide No.42569/V3/V4/2023 dated 29.01.2025 issued by the 2nd respondent and quash the same as illegal, arbitrary and non-est in law and thus render justice.

2. The petitioner was appointed as Junior Assistant in the Revenue Department on 10.08.1994. Subsequently, she was promoted to the post of Assistant, Deputy Tahsildar, Tahsildar, Deputy Collector and finally to the post of District Revenue Officer on 05.06.2020. She had discharged her duties as a quasi-judicial authority for determining the market value of the property as per Section 47-A of Indian Stamp Act, 1899[hereinafter referred to as ‘the Act’]. While the petitioner was working as District Revenue Officer from 05.06.2020 to 26.07.2023, as a quasi-judicial authority, she had determined the market value of the property adhering to the statutory formalities envisaged under the Act. While so, the third respondent had recorded adverse remarks in her Annual Confidential Report [hereinafter referred to as “ACR”] with an intention to deprive her promotional avenue to the post of conferred IAS for the period

16.06.2021 to 31.03.2022.

3. It was challenged before this Court in W.P.No.27493 of 2023.

This Court by an order dated 13.12.2024 allowed the writ petition thereby setting aside the adverse remarks entered in the ACR. This Court specifically held that the petitioner passed the said orders by exercising her quasi-judicial authority for determining the market value of the property and the same is subject to statutory appeal. The provision for Second Appeal to this Court is provided under Sections 47-A(5) and 47- A(10) of the Stamp Act, and therefore, the guidelines cannot form the basis for initiation of disciplinary proceedings.

4. The said order became final, since no appeal was filed by the respondents.

5. Thereafter, the third respondent has been repeatedly initiating disciplinary proceedings as against the petitioner to deprive her legitimate promotional avenue to the post of IAS conferment. For the very same reason, the petitioner was served with charge memo by the second respondent. Thereafter, the petitioner approached this Court in W.P.No.31403 of 2024 for a direction to include her name in the panel of District Revenue Officer for the year 2012 and include her name into the selection list of 2023 of the State Civil Service Officers of Tamil Nadu for appointment to the cadre of Indian Administrative Service.

6. This Court, by an orde