IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 10.12.2025 CORAM:

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M. DHANDAPANI S. Thamayanthy Petitioner Vs

1. The Director/ Commissioner of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Chennai 600 015.

2.The District Collector Dharmapuri District, Dharmapuri.

3.The Secretary Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission, Chennai 03 Respondents Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus calling for the records relating to the impugned order passed by the 2^nd respondent in his 1) Pro.Na.Ka.No. 15805 /2020/ K2 dated 27.08.2021 to the limited extent of rejection of petitioner claim for revision of petitioner seniority in the seniority list of Assistants as on 01.01.2020 in Dharmapuri District unit and 2) Pro. Na.Ka.No. 17727/ 2022/C1 dated 12.10.2022 passed by the 1^st respondent and the consequential order passed by the 2^nd respondent herein in his Na.Ka.No. 125/ 2023/ K2 dated 13.01.2023 quash the same as unsustainable in law and issue consequential direction to the Respondents 1 and 2 herein to assign proper seniority by placing the petitioner at the bottom of the seniority list of Approved Probationers between Serial No. 26 (Tmt. P.Santham) and Sl.No. 27 (Tmt. V.Sarala) in the seniority list as on 01.01.2021 approved in Pro. Na.Ka.No. 15815 /2021/ K2 dated 14.09.2021 of the second respondent, instead of placing her at the bottom of Seniority List of Assistants in Dharmapuri District unit as per the 3^rd respondent’s (TNPSC) guidelines, the Departmental guidelines (amended up to 2014 ) as well as in the light of the order passed in WP (MD)

No. 2567/ 2013 dated 22.11.2018 by this Court.

For petitioner : Mr.R. Thamaraiselvan For respondents : Mr.T.M. Rajangam, Govt. Advocate for R1 & R2 Mr.B. Vijay for R3

ORDER

This writ petition has been filed to quash the i) proceedings of the 2^nd respondent dated 27.08.2021, ii) proceedings of the 1^st respondent dated 12.10.2022 and iii) the consequential order dated 13.01.2023 issued by the 2^nd respondent as well as for issuance of consequential directions to the respondents 1 and 2 to assign proper seniority by placing the petitioner at the bottom of the seniority list of Approved Probationers between Serial No. 26 (Tmt. P.Santham) and Sl.No. 27 (Tmt. V.Sarala) in the seniority list as on 01.01.2021 approved in Pro. Na.Ka.No. 15815 /2021/ K2 dated 14.09.2021 of the 2^nd respondent, instead of placing her at the bottom of Seniority List of Assistants in Dharmapuri District unit as per the 3^rd respondent’s (TNPSC) guidelines, the Departmental guidelines (amended up to 2014 ) as well as in the light of the order passed in WP (MD) No. 2657 of 2013 dated 22.11.2018 by this Court.

2. The petitioner was recruited through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission and appointed as Assistant by the 2^nd respondent vide proceedings dated 13.12.2012. She joined service on 15.12.2012 at Vellore District. Her services were regularised on 12.06.2014, and her probation was declared on 30.01.2017, thereby making her an approved probationer and permanent employee.

3. When that being so, on her own request, the petitioner was transferred from Vellore District to Dharmapuri District, vide proceedings of the 1^st respondent dated 20.11.2017. Subsequently, she was relieved on 11.12.2017 and joined duty at Dharmapuri on 15.12.2017. Thereafter, the 2^nd respondent issued a temporary integrated seniority list of Assistants, which was issued on 19.02.2018 (as on 01.01.2018), wherein the petitioner was placed at the bottom of the combined seniority list. According to the petitioner, despite having already completed probation, she ought to have been placed at the bottom of the seniority list of approved probationers. While so, the 2^nd respondent issued the integrated Seniority List of Assistants, vide proceedings dated 27.08.2021 confirming the seniority list issued on 19.10.2020.

4. Thereafter, she submitted various representation