IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED : 23.01.2026 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI and W.M.P.No.13528 of 2025 M.Sujathali ... Petitioner Vs.

1.The State of Tamil Nadu, Rep.by its Principal Secretary to Government, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, Fort St.George, Secretariat, Chennai-600 009.

2.The Director of Municipal Administration, Commissionerate of Municipal Administration, 75, Urban Administrative Building, Santhome High Road, Raja Annamalaipuram, Chennai-600 028.

3.The Commissioner, Tiruppur Corporation, Tiruppur. ....Respondents PRAYER : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, to call for the records relating to the impugned order issued by the second respondent in Na.Ka.No.1335/2025/ManaA-2 dated 27.02.2025 and the subsequent impugned order issued by the third respondent in Na.Ka.No.1079/2023/C1 dated 04.03.2025 and to quash the same and consequently, directing the respondents to pass orders for re-designation of petitioner as Assistant Engineer with effect from 12.12.2023 in accordance with G.O.(D).No.516, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, dated 02.09.2023, followed by G.O.(D).No.679, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department dated 14.12.2023, with all consequential and other attendant benefits, within a time frame to be fixed by this Court.

For Petitioner : Mr.G.Sankaran Senior Counsel for Mr.S.Nedunchezhiyan For Respondents : Mr.C.Selvaraj Additional Government Pleader for R1 and R2 Mr.D.R.Arunkumar for R3

O R D E R

This Writ Petition has been filed challenging the impugned order issued by the second respondent in Na.Ka.No.1335/2025/ManaA-2 dated 27.02.2025 and the subsequent impugned order issued by the third respondent in Na.Ka.No.1079/2023/C1 dated 04.03.2025 and for a consequential direction to the respondents to pass orders for re-designation of petitioner as Assistant Engineer with effect from 12.12.2023 in accordance with G.O.(D).No.516, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department dated 02.09.2023, followed by G.O.(D).No.679, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department dated 14.12.2023, with all consequential and other attendant benefits, within a time frame to be fixed by this Court.

2. The petitioner was initially appointed as Skilled Assistant Grade-I in the third respondent Corporation in the year 2010 and was subsequently promoted as Technical Assistant on 09.05.2018 and thereafter, he was further promoted as Junior Engineer based on his seniority and eligibility with effect from 12.12.2023. The claim of the petitioner is that the post of Assistant Engineer is coming under Clause III Category I of Tamil Nadu Municipal Corporation Engineering and Water Supply Subordinate Service Rules, 1996. As per the said Rules, the Junior Engineer on acquiring the qualification of Degree in Engineering shall be re-designated as Assistant Engineer from the date of acquiring such qualification. Accordingly, number of municipalities have been upgraded as Corporation and the existing Junior Engineers in the Corporation Service have been re-designated as Assistant Engineers on acquiring B.E.Degree qualification. The petitioner submits that he is qualified with B.E.(Civil Engineering) in the year 2022 and he was promoted to the post of Junior Engineer with effect from 12.12.2023. Since he had qualified with B.E.Degree in the year 2022, the petitioner claims that he is entitled for re-designation as Assistant Engineer in accordance with Service Rules. The petitioner relies upon G.O.Ms.No.45 dated 12.04.2023, wherein, it was provided that as per Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Rules, the post of Assistant Engineer/Junior Engineer ought to be filled up by direct recruitment and by promotion from the holders of the post of Junior Engineers following 3:1 ratio.

3. The further issue is that the Government issued order in G.O.(D).No.516 dated 02.09.2023 to fill