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1 W.P.(MD)NO.4826 OF 2023

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

DATED: 03.02.2026

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.R.SWAMINATHAN

AND

THE HON'BLE MRS.JUSTICE R.KALAIMATHI

W.P.(MD)No.4826 of 2023

A.Senthil ... Petitioner

Vs.

1. The District Collector,

Virudhunagar District,

Virudhunagar.

2. The Revenue Divisional Officer,

Aruppukottai,

Virudhunagar District.

3. The Tahsildar,

Thiruchuli Taluk,

Virudhunagar District. ... Respondents

Prayer: Writ petition filed under Article 226 of the

Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the

second respondent herein to issue Hindu ST-Kattunayakkan

community certificates to the petitioner's son Velan, on surrendering

his MBC Thottiyanayakkar community certificate

Nos.ECBC688C6A687B86 dated 19.06.2015 and to issue fresh ST-

Hindu Kattunayakkan community certificate to the petitioner's

daughter Reena within a stipulated time that may be fixed by this

Court.

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2 W.P.(MD)NO.4826 OF 2023

For Petitioner : Mr.P.Saravanakumar

For Respondents : Mr.S.Shaji Bino,

Special Government Pleader.

* * *

O R D E R

(Order of the Court was delivered by G.R.SWAMINATHAN, J.)

Heard both sides.

2. The petitioner claims that he belongs to Hindu

Kattunayakkan community which is a Scheduled Tribe. However, he

was issued what is known as Thottiyanayakkar community

certificate. The petitioner wants issuance of fresh certificate

declaring him as belonging to Kattunayakkan community.

3. Our attention is drawn to the order dated 21.02.2017 in W.P.

(MD)No.2845 of 2017 (V.Kannan Vs. The District Collector,

Thoothukudi District, Thoothukudi). The Hon'ble Division Bench had

passed the following order:-

“This Writ Petition has been filed seeking to

issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the second

respondent herein to consider the petitioner's

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3 W.P.(MD)NO.4826 OF 2023

representation dated 07.09.2016 and issue Hindu

Kattunayakkan Community Certificate to him, on

surrendering his Thottinayakkar Community

Certificate, dated 22.09.2011 in Certificate No.

4116790 within a time frame.

2. The case of the petitioner is that he belongs

to Hindu Kattunayakkan Community, which is

recognized as a Scheduled Tribe Community. Now,

he is undergoing M.B.A., Degree. His parents, who

are illiterate, applied for issuance of community

certificate, certifying that he belongs to Hindu

Kattunayakkan Community. However, the

respondents, without conducting proper enquiry,

issued a community certificate, certifying that the

petitioner belongs to Hindu Thottinayakkar

Community, which comes under the Most Backward

Class. Therefore, the petitioner made a

representation on 07.09.2016 before the second

respondent to permit him to surrender Hindu

Thottinayakkar Community Certificate issued by

the third respondent on 22.09.2011 and with a

request to issue a fresh community certificate,

recognizing him as Hindu Kattunayakkan

Community, taking into account the community

certificates already issued to his close relatives,

namely, one Gandhi and Krishnan during the year

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4 W.P.(MD)NO.4826 OF 2023

1990 and 1992. Since no action has been taken, the

petitioner has come forward with the present Writ

Petition, for the relief stated earlier.

3. Considering the limited scope of the prayer

sought for by the petitioner, without expressing any

opinion on the merits of the claim made by the

petitioner, the petitioner is directed to submit a

copy of the representation dated 07.09.2016, along

with a copy of this order to the second respondent

and on receipt of the same, the second respondent

is directed to conduct an enquiry, provide an

opportunity to the petitioner to submit documents,

if any, in support of his claim and thereafter, pass

appropriate orders, on merits and in accordance

with law, within a period of eight weeks thereafter.

It is made clear that this Court has not express