BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 15.12.2025 CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE B.PUGALENDHI WP(MD)No.35882 of 2025 and WMP(MD) No.28526 of 2025 Naveen ... Petitioner Vs

1.The State of Tamil Nadu Rep, By its Principal Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Fort St.George, Chennai -9.

2.The Commissioner, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Directorate of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Panagal Building, Chennai - 15.

3.The District Level Committee, The Chairman Cum District Collector, Tirunelveli District, Tirunelveli. ...Respondents Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records pertaining online rejection order issued by the 3rd respondent in his proceedings Nil dated 05.12.2025 and quash the same as illegal, consequently directing the 3rd respondents to consider the petitioner for the post of Village Panchayat Secretary by adopting a fair, transparent, and rule-based selection process in accordance with the Tamil Nadu Village Panchayat Secretaries (Conditions of Service) Rules, 2013 and G.O.Ms.No.198 dated

04.09.2025 For Petitioner : T.Leninkumar For Respondents : Mr.Ajmal Khan Additional Advocate General Assisted by Mr.C.Venkatesh Kumar Special Government Pleader

O R D E R

The petitioner has applied for the post of Village Panchayat Secretary in Tirunelveli, as per the notification of the District Level Committee/ Chairman Cum District Collector, Tirunelveli, in NU12/3848480/2025, dated 08.10.2025. The petitioner, with a grievance that though he has fulfilled all the eligibility conditions, he was not selected for the interview and no reasons were assigned by the respondent Department for rejection of the petitioner's candidature, has approached this Court.

2.The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner by referring to Rule 3(2) of the Tamil Nadu Village Panchayat Secretaries (Conditions of Service) Rules, 2023 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Rules') submits that the Village Panchayat Secretaries shall be selected through open competitive recruitment process and also as ordered by the Government. There was no proper open competitive recruitment process adopted in selecting the candidates for the Village Panchayat Secretaries and therefore, the petitioner has not been shortlisted for the interview, though he has secured 447 th marks in the 10 standard.

3.The learned Additional Advocate General appearing for the respondents submits that the petitioner, under the impression that the open competitive recruitment process as mentioned in Rule 3(2) of the Rules amounts to written examination, has filed this writ petition. The learned Additional Advocate General has clarified that the Government of Tamil Nadu has issued certain directions as to the manner, in which, the recruitment process has to be conducted, vide G.O.Ms.No.198, Rural Development Panchayati Raj (E5) Department, dated 04.09.2025. As per this Government Order, the Panchayat Secretaries will be selected based on the evaluation of the marks obtained in 10^th standard public examination and interview. This Government Order also prescirbed that 85% marks to be awarded based on the marks obtained in the 10^th standard public examination and 15% marks to be awarded for interview. The evaluation of the marks is also prescribed in clause VII of the said Government Order.

4.With regard to the interview also, the learned Additional Advocate General clarified the manner in which the interview marks are awarded as per clause X of the said G.O. Therefore, according to the learned Additional Advocate General, the selection process has been conducted in a proper manner and there is no violation in the selection process. He further submits that the general rank list has also been published in the official website of the Tamil Nadu Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, as directed by this Court. Moreover, the cut off marks is 82.