A Writ of Mandamus can enforce payment for works completed under public contracts, ensuring due process in administrative decisions.

O R D E R

1. The petitioner is before this Court seeking issuance of a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents to release the payment for the work executed by the petitioner, as recorded in the Measurement Book, in respect of the work undertaken by him.

2. The Town Panchayat, Kalakkad, had entrusted the petitioner with the work of construction of a retaining wall. According to the petitioner, he has completed about 80% of the work as per the work order. However, the remaining work could not be completed due to agitations by the local residents, and the Tahsildar concerned restrained the petitioner from proceeding further with the work. In these circumstances, the petitioner submitted a representation to respondents 1 to 3 seeking release of payment for the portion of work already completed.

3. It is brought to the notice of this Court that the Kalakkad Town Panchayat has subsequently been upgraded as Kalakkad Municipality, and therefore the said Municipality has been arrayed as the fourth respondent in this writ petition.

4. In order to substantiate the claim that 80% of the work has been completed and that payment is due, the petitioner has produced the Measurement Book before this Court.

5. In view of the above, this Writ Petition is disposed of directing the fourth respondent to consider the petitioner’s representation dated 06.01.2022 on its own merits and pass appropriate orders in accordance with law, after affording an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner. The said exercise shall be completed within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.