BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

DATED: 24.11.2025

CORAM:

THE HON'BLE MS.JUSTICE P.T.ASHA

and

W.M.P(MD)Nos.10965, 10966 and 15662 of 2025

1. M.Rajeswari

2. M.Selvi

3. J.Chitra Devi

4. K.Murugeswari ... Petitioners

Vs.

1. The State of Tamilnadu,

Rep. by Secretary,

Department of School Education,

Secretariat, Chennai - 9.

2. The Director,

Department of School Education,

College Road,

Chennai.

3. The District Collector,

O/o. the District Collector Office,

Virudhunagar district,

Virudhunagar.

4. The Chief Educational Officer, O/o. The Chief Educational Office, Virudhunagar District.

5. The District Educational Officer (Primary Education), O/o. The District Educational Office, Sivakasi, Virudhunagar District.

6. The Block Educational Officer (Primary Education), O/o. The Block Educational Officer, Rajapalayam, Viruthunagar District.

7. Saraswathi Primary School, Rep. by its, The Secretary, Muthusamipuram village, Mukavoor, Rajapalayam Taluk, Virudhunagar District.

8. S.Anitha D/o.Sundararaman, 389/4, Kalyana Sundara Vinayagar Kovil Street, Muthusamiyapuram, Mugavoor, Rajapalayam Taluk, Virudhunagar District.

(R8 is impleaded vide court order dated 07.10.2025 in WMP(MD)No.

19441 of 2025 in WP(MD) No.14719 of 2025 by PTAJ)

... Respondents Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Mandamus, to forbear the Respondents No. 1 to 6 from closing the Respondent No.7 school and consequently direct them to continue operating the said school by appointment a teacher and provide education to the student of said school by considering the representation made by the petitioner on 15.05.202.

For Petitioner : Mr.T.Thirumurugan For R1 to R6 : Mr.T.Amjad Khan Government Advocate For R7 : Mr.V.Karthik Raja for M/s.Ajmal Associates For R8 : M/s.G.Prabhu Rajadurai

ORDER

The above writ petition has been filed seeking a mandamus to forbear the respondents 1 to 6 from closing the 7^th respondent school and consequently, direct them to continue operating the school by appointing a teacher and providing the students of the said school by considering the representation dated 15.05.2020.

2. It is the case of the petitioners that the petitioners were residing in Mugavur Village, Rajapalayam Taluk, Virudhunagar District. They belong to the most backward class and the scheduled caste and are working as cleaners and wage earners. The 7th respondent school is a Government Aided School and is located close to their village. As a result, children can access it quickly and safely, and the children were getting a good education there.

3. It is the further case of the petitioners that they came to learn about the dispute between one Soudararajan and the 8th respondent in relation to the Secretaryship of the school and various proceedings had been initiated in respect of the same. While so, they were informed that the authorities were taking steps to close down the school for this academic year on the ground that due to administrative problems between the two parties, it was difficult to run the school during the academic year.

4. The petitioners would submit that the reasons for closing the above school is on account of the dispute between the two persons. The petitioners would submit that if the school is closed, it would affect the future of the school children. The petitioners would further submit that they do not have the financial support to pay the education fees for their children if they shifted to any other school. That apart, the petitioners would submit that they do not have the facilities to send their children to the nearby Government Schools which is situated outside the village. Therefore, the petitioners had submitted the objections to the 5th respondent on 27.01.2025 requesting that the school be continued.

5. The petitioners had also submitted an objection to the 3rd respondent on 12.08.2024 making the same request. Since there was no follow-up action on their representations, yet another representation