IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 26-02-2026 CORAM THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE R. SURESH KUMAR AND THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE SHAMIM AHMED WA No. 397 of 2026 and CMP.No.3643 of 2026

1. NLC India Limited Represented by its Chairman and Managing Director Neyveli, Cuddalore District – 607 801

2. The Deputy General Manager (HR) / RECTT NLC India Ltd., Cuddalore office Block -1, Neyveli Cuddalore District – 607 101 ..Appellants Vs Vignesh ..Respondent PRAYER: Writ Appeal filed under Clause 15 of Letters Patent, to set aside the order passed in WP.No.14267 of 2025 dated 08.12.2025.

For Appellants : Mr.N.Nithianandam For Respondents : Mr.S.Sathia Chandran

JUDGMENT

(Judgment of the Court was delivered by R.Suresh Kumar J.)

This intra-court appeal has been directed against the order passed by the Writ Court dated 08.12.2025 in W.P.No.14267 of 2025.

2. That the respondent was the writ petitioner. He is a qualified Engineer as he graduated Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineer at National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli [in short, NIT], where he successfully completed his B.E course in the year 2015. He belongs to the Scheduled Tribe community (Hindu, Paniyan community). With that qualification, he already joined in some private companies as Project Engineer, Quality Engineer and Site Engineer at various capacities and had been working from the year 2015 till date, thereby he gained substantial on site and practical experience. While that being so, a notification was published by the second appellant on 05.07.2023 for filling up 20 vacancies to the post of Executive Engineer (Civil) [E4 Grade] under Civil [Mines].

3. As per the notification, such 20 vacancies reserved as follows: UR - 8, EWS 1, OBC – 5 SC – 4 and ST -2.

4. Since the petitioner was possessing all the qualifications as required under the notification, he also made an application online for the post of Executive Engineer (Civil) [E4 Grade] and thereafter, he received a call letter cum admit card for screening test, which was conducted on 24.02.2024. He appeared for the screening test, which was conducted in writing on the appointed date and he performed well.

5. Thereafter, a short listing was made, where his name was placed at S.No.47 and for document verification, he was called for, which was held on

26.02.2024 followed by an interview on 27.02.2024.

6. After completing all these selection formalities, the provisional list was published on 29.02.2024, whereby, 20 candidates were declared provisionally selected for the post of Executive Engineer (Civil) [E4 Grade]. However, in the list though two scheduled tribe candidates were notified, the name of the respondent/writ petitioner was not found.

7. Subsequently, since one of the selected candidates in the ST category did not join duty as the respondent/writ petitioner stood as first candidate in the wait list, his name was called for consideration and therefore, the second appellant issued a provisional offer of appointment letter on 23.08.2024 to the respondent/writ petitioner for the said post of Executive Engineer (Civil) [E4 Grade].

8. Thereafter, the final or confirmation appointment letter should have been issued, before which, it was stated that the community certificate for claiming ST status was sent for verification, therefore there was a delay in passing the final confirmation order of appointment.

9. When that being the position, all of a sudden, there was a communication that was issued on 20.03.2025 informing the respondent/writ petitioner that the offer of appointment made to him was withdrawn by cancelling his candidature with immediate effect on the ground that there were some discrepancies in the information furnished by the petitioner in his application dated 25.07.2023.

10. Only at that juncture, challenging the said order, the respondent/writ petitioner filed the aforesaid writ petition seeking to quash the order passed by the appellant department on 20.03.2025 cancelling the provisional appointment