IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED : 17.11.2025

CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE G.K.ILANTHIRAIYAN

and W.M.P.Nos.44105, 44106, 44119, 44125, 44126 and 44130 of 2025

W.P.No.39291 of 2025:-

1. William Justus

2. Rajaravivarman ... Petitioners

-Vs-

1. The Secretary to the Government,

Higher Education Department,

Secretariat, Fort St. George,

Chennai 600 009.

2. The Commissioner,

Directorate of Technical Education,

No.53, Sardar Patel Road, Anna University,

Guindy, Chennai-600025.

3. The Syndicate Secretary,

Annamalai University,

Annamalai Nagar,

Chidambaram,

Cuddalore 608002.

4. The Registrar,

Chidambaram,

Cuddalore 608002. ...Respondents

Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records of the impugned G.O.217 dated 20.08.2025 and of the consequential impugned proceedings of the second respondent in 31232/A5/2025 dated 03.10.2025, and to quash the same in so far as petitioners concerned and consequently direct the first respondent to issuance of protective guidelines ensuring that redeployment of surplus staff of Annamalai University carried out strictly with protection of cadre, grade, pay, increments, seniority and pensionary benefits, continuity of service without break, preservation of promotional avenues, and clarity regarding re-absorption after three years.

W.P.No.39300 of 2025:-

1. K.Vijaya Raghavan

2. Aruloli ... Petitioners -Vs-

1. The Secretary to the Government, Higher Education Department, Secretariat, Fort St. George, Chennai 600 009.

2. The Commissioner, Directorate of Technical Education, No.53, Sardar Patel Road, Anna University, Guindy, Chennai-600025.

3. The Syndicate Secretary, Chidambaram, Cuddalore 608002.

4. The Registrar, Chidambaram, Cuddalore 608002. ...Respondents Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records of the impugned G.O.217 dated 20.08.2025 and of the consequential impugned proceedings of the second respondent in 30781/BN2/2025 dated 03.10.2025, and to quash the same in so far as petitioners concerned and consequently direct the first respondent to issuance of protective guidelines ensuring that redeployment of surplus staff of Annamalai University carried out strictly with protection of cadre, grade, pay, increments, seniority and pensionary benefits, continuity of service without break, preservation of promotional avenues, and clarity regarding re-absorption after three years.

In both W.Ps For Petitioners : Mr.C.Iyyapparaj For R1 and R2 : Mr.M.R.Gokulkrishnan Additional Government Pleader For R3 and R4 : Mr.M.Ajmal Khan Additional Advocate General assisted by Mr.S.Venkatesh for M/s Ajmol Associates

COMMON O RDER

These writ petitions have been filed challenging the Government Order in G.O.No.217 dated 20.08.2025 and the consequential proceedings of the second respondent dated 03.10.2025, thereby ordering to re-deploy the petitioners in the Directorate of Technical Education.

2. Heard the learned counsel on either side and perused the materials available on record.

3. The petitioners were appointed as Technical Assistant in the fourth respondent and they were regularized with a regular scale of pay. The fourth respondent University was originally established under the Annamalai University Act, 1929. Thereafter, in the year 2013, the Government of Tamil Nadu has taken over the University under the New Act viz., Annamalai University Act, 2013, by repealing the old Act. While being so, the first respondent issued an order dated 20.08.2025, thereby identifying 1368 staff members of the fourth respondent University (82 Teaching and 1286 Non- Teaching) as surplus and ordered to re-deploy them in the Government Arts and Science Colleges, Polytechnic Colleges, Engineering Colleges, Universities, Secretariat departments and Government undertakings. As per the order in G.O.No.230, 14 teaching and 216 non-tea