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2026 Supreme(Online)(Mad) 44372

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
P.T. Asha, J
S.Matheswaran – Appellant
Versus
Additional Chief Secretary And Revenue Administration Commissioner – Respondent
Writ Petition

Advocates:
For the Appellants/Petitioners: Gautham Venkatesh
For the Respondents: P.Balathandayutham

The High Court may issue a direction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for an administrative authority to consider and dispose of a pending representation on its own merits without delving into the underlying factual disputes.

Headnote:The petitioner filed a writ petition under Art. 226 of the Constitution seeking a writ of mandamus to direct the respondent to consider a representation regarding seniority fixation. The petitioner, a Special Deputy Collector, contended that his seniority in the Tahsildar Seniority List and Deputy Collector Panel was incorrectly fixed. The Court observed that the petitioner sought only a limited relief of representation consideration. The central issue was whether the respondent should be directed to decide upon the petitioner's pending representation. The Court, without expressing any opinion on the merits, applied the principle of ensuring administrative responsiveness to legal grievances. The ratio decidendi rests on the court's power under Art. 226 to direct public authorities to dispose of pending representations within a reasonable timeframe. The writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondent to consider the representation and pass orders on its own merits within 8 weeks.

Table of Content
1. case facts concerning representation for seniority correction. (Para 1 , 2 , 4)
2. court's discretion to direct timely disposal of administrative representations. (Para 5)

ORDER

This writ petition is filed for the following relief:

“To direct the respondent to consider the petitioner’s representation dated 01.02.2026 and pass suitable orders.”

2. The case of the petitioner is that he joined the service as a Junior Assistant in the year 1992 and he is now holding the post of Special Deputy Collector, Land Acquisition Office, Kanchipuram.

3. The petitioner would submit that his seniority has been wrongly fixed.

Therefore, he made a representation dated 01.02.2026, to the respondent requesting the following relief:

“(i)To pass orders to include the petitioners’ name, at serial no.23A in the Tahsildar Seniority List for the year 2010, before Tmt. K. Thamizh Mullai at serial no. 24 and after Tmt. K.

Meena at serial no. 23 in the said list; and ii.To consequentially re-fix the notional date in the Tahsildar Seniority List (Annexure-2018), of Salem District Revenue Unit by including the petitioners’ name in the Deputy Collector Panel at serial no.5A, before Tmt.Vallidevi at serial no.6 of the said list and next to Tr. Felix Raja at serial no.5 of the said list.”

4. The grievance of the petitioner is that the said representation has not been considered to date. Therefore, seeking the aforesaid relief the petitioner is before this Court.

5. Considering the limited relief sought by the petitioner in this writ petition, without going into the merits of this case a direction is issued to the respondent to consider the petitioner’s representation and pass orders on its own merits within a period of 8 weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

6. With the above direction, this writ petition is disposed of. No costs.

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2026 Supreme(Online)(Mad) 44372

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRASP.T. Asha, JS.Matheswaran – AppellantVersusAdditional Chief Secretary And Revenue Administration Commissioner – RespondentWrit Petition

The High Court may issue a direction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for an administrative authority to consider and dispose of a pending representation on its own merits without delving into the underlying factual disputes.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
P.T. Asha, J
S.Matheswaran – Appellant
Versus
Additional Chief Secretary And Revenue Administration Commissioner – Respondent
Writ Petition