Prayer:

This writ petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of a writ of certiorarified mandamus calling for the records pertaining to the first impugned punishment order issued by the first respondent in proceedings G.O.(3D) No.02 Animal Husbandry, Dairying, Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare (Ka.Pa.1-2) Department dated 05.02.2025 and the second impugned review order issued by the first respondent in proceedings G.O.(D) No.91 Animal Husbandry, Dairying, Fisheries and fishermen welfare (ka.Pa. 1- 2) Department dated 05.02.2026 and to quash these orders and to consequently direct the respondents to promote the petitioner as Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services in the panel year 2025- 2026 on par with his juniors with all consequential Service and monetary benefits and to pass

ORDER

The writ petition has been filed for the following relief:

“calling for the records pertaining to the first impugned punishment order issued by the first respondent in proceedings G.O.(3D) No.02 Animal Husbandry, Dairying, Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare (Ka.Pa.1-2) Department dated 05.02.2025 and the second impugned review order issued by the first respondent in proceedings G.O.(D) No.91 Animal Husbandry, Dairying, Fisheries and fishermen welfare (ka.Pa. 1-2) Department dated 05.02.2026 and to quash these orders and to consequently direct the respondents to promote the petitioner as Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services in the panel year 2025- 2026 on par with his juniors with all consequential Service and monetary benefits”.

2. The facts are briefly set out herein below:

2.1. The petitioner entered service on 21.06.1993 as a Veterinary Assistant Surgeon and is presently holding the post of the Assistant Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services to which post he was promoted on 21.07.2019.

2.2. The petitioner would submit that while he was serving as a Technical Assistant to the Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services in the cadre of Assistant Director, he was issued with a charge memo under Rule 17(a) of Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules alleging delay in the procurement of veterinary medicines through the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation.

2.3. The petitioner would submit that the charge does not allege any financial loss to the Government, corruption, misuse of authority or personal gain on the part of the petitioner and the allegation only relates to an administrative delay.

2.4. To the charge memo, the petitioner had submitted a detailed explanation, denying the charges and setting out the procedure for the procurement of veterinary medicines. In his explanation, the petitioner has made it very clear that, the procurement of medicine involves independent authorities and the petitioner’s role was limited to assist the process and that he had no independent authority with reference to the procurement decisions and the timelines therein. The petitioner had also detailed the status of procurement in his affidavit filed in support of the writ petition. The petitioner would give a statement of the sequence of events starting from the constitution of the committee right up to the issue of purchase orders. A reading of which would clearly show that, the delay was only on account of the belated submission of indents by the Regional Joint Directors as also defective ones. Despite the explanation, the first respondent had passed the impugned order dated 05.02.2025, imposing a punishment of censure. The petitioner would submit that the senior officers who also formed the committee and who had been issued with show cause had been exonerated of the charges. That apart, no action has been taken against the Regional Joint Directors or the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation, where also, the delay had taken place. Therefore, he would submit that the order is arbitrary and discriminatory and ought to be set aside. Ther