Madras High Court
Kalavathi vs The District Collector/Inspector Of ... on 1 August, 2025
Author: C. Saravanan
Bench: C. Saravanan
W.P.(MD) No.16534 of 2025
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT
DATED : 01.08.2025
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE C. SARAVANAN
W.P.(MD) No.16534 of 2025
and
W.M.P.(MD) No.12557 of 2025
1.Kalavathi
W/o.Kathiresan
President of Pandapuli Village Panchayat,
Sankarankovil Panchayat Union,
Sankarankovil Taluk,
Tenkasi District.
2.Rajaguru
S/o. Kandavel Naicker
Vice President of Pandapuli Village Panchayat,
Sankarankovil Panchayat Union,
Sankarankovil Taluk,
Tenkasi District. ... Petitioners
Vs.
1.The District Collector/Inspector of Panchayat,
Tenkasi, Tenkasi District.
2.The Block Development Officer,
Sankarankovil Panchayat Union,
Tenkasi District. ... Respondents
PRAYER : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of
India, for issuance of a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, to call for the
_____________
Page No. 1 of 7
https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 04/08/2025 07:38:40 pm )
W.P.(MD) No.16534 of 2025
records of the impugned order dated 08.05.2025 in
Na.Ka.No.COLRD/1020/2025-A6 issued by the first respondent and
quash the same as illegal and consequently direct the first respondent to
take action based on the representation of the petitioners dated 12.05.2025
within a time frame fixed by this Court.
For Petitioner : Mr.R.J.Karthick
For R1 : Mr.D.Ghandiraj
Special Government Pleader
For R2 : Mr.M.Siddharthan
Additional Government Pleader
ORDER
The petitioners are the President and Vice President of Pandapuli Village Panchayat, Sankarankovil Panchayat Union, Sankarankovil Taluk, Tenkasi District.
2. The petitioners are aggrieved by the impugned order dated 08.05.2025 passed by the first respondent, whereby the cheque-signing power of the petitioners has been withdrawn by the first respondent, purportedly in the exercise of powers under Section 203 of the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994.
_____________ Page No. 2 of 7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 04/08/2025 07:38:40 pm ) W.P.(MD) No.16534 of 2025
3. The learned counsel for the petitioners drew attention to the decision of the Division Bench of this Court in P.Rangaraj v. The Director/Commissioner of Rural Development, Chennai and others, reported in 2024 (5) MLJ 406, wherein, in the context of Section 203 of the Act, it was observed as under:
(25) From the examination of the provisions of the Act as well as the precedents, we have above referred to, the conclusion inescapable is that the Inspector of Panchayat enjoins a power to revoke the cheque signing authority temporarily in case the circumstances contemplated under Section 203 of the Act exist. In a case where the President or Vice President refuses to sign cheque and thereby trying to delay execution of any work or doing of any act which a Panchayat or Executive Authority or Commissioner is empowered to execute. However, in a case where there are mere allegations of misappropriation, mismanagement or other allegations which warrant the Inspector of Panchayat to take action under Section 205 of the Act, the emergency power cannot be exercised under Section 203 of the Act to withdraw or suspend the cheque signing authority of elected President or Vice President of the Panchayat.
4. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the Block Development Officer and the Secretary of the aforesaid Village Panchayat were at loggerheads, and therefore, the petitioners had given a complaint. _____________ Page No. 3 of 7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 04/08/2025 07:38:40 pm ) W.P.(MD) No.16534 of 2025 It is further submitted that the Secretary has since been transferred and the Block Development Officer has also been transferred. Therefore, on this count also, there is no necessity for continuance of the impugned order.
5. The learned Special Government Pleader for the first respondent produced a copy of the communication dated 25.06.2025 bearing Na.Ka.No.COLRD/1020/2025-A6, sent by the first respondent to the first petitioner, President of the Pandapulli Village Panchayat, in the context of the present Writ Petition. Content of the said communication dated 25.06.2025 is extracted hereunder:
“njd;fhrp khtl;lk;> rq;fud;Nfhtpy; Cuhl;rp xd;wpak;> ge;jg;Gsp Cuhl;rpapy; fl;bl tiugl mDkjp toq;Ftjw;F $Ljy; fl;lzk; Cuhl;rp nrayuhy; t#y; nra;ag;gl;ljhfTk;> fl;bl tiugl mDkjp toq;Ftjw;F flTr; nrhy; (OTP) toq;fpl Cuhl;rp kd;w jiytu; kw;Wk; Jizj; jiytuhy; kWf;fg;gl;lJ njhlu;ghfTk;> Cuhl;rp epu;thfj;jpy; gy;NtW KiwNfLfs; eilngWtjhfTk; kw;Wk; kfhj;kh fhe;jp Njrpa Cuf Ntiy jpl;lj;jpy; gy;NtW KiwNfLfspy; rq;fud;Nfhtpy; tl;lhu tsu;r;rp mYtyu; (fp.C)> ge;jg;Gsp Cuhl;rp nrayu; kw;Wk; gzpj;js nghWg;ghsu; <LgLtjhfTk; njuptpj;J cupa eltbf;if vLf;f Nfhup ghu;it 1-,y; fhZk; Gfhu; kDf;fs; tug;ngw;wJ.
mjdbg;gilapy; ghu;it 3-,d;gb njd;fhrp cjtp ,af;Feu; (Cuhl;rpfs;)-My; 20.06.2025 md;W Neub tprhuiz Nkw;nfhs;sg;gl;L> ge;jg;Gsp Cuhl;rp epu;thfk; njhlu;ghf tprhuizf;F tug;ngw;w midtuplKk; vOj;Jg; G+u;tkhd thf;F %yq;fs; ngwg;gl;lJ.
_____________ Page No. 4 of 7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 04/08/2025 07:38:40 pm ) W.P.(MD) No.16534 of 2025 ge;jg;Gsp Cuhl;rp kd;w jiytupd; 20.06.2025- Mk; Njjpa vOj;J G+u;tkhd thf;F %yj;jpy;> jdJ Gfhu;fs; midj;Jk; jdpegu; kw;Wk; mf;fk; gf;fj;jpdu; $wpajd; mbg;gilapNyNa njuptpf;fg;gl;ljhfTk;> NkYk; ,J njhlu;ghf ehd; Neupilahf tprhuiz VJk; Nkw;nfhs;stpy;iy vdTk;> fl;bl tiugl mDkjp njhlu;ghf my;yJ ,ju gzpfs; njhlu;ghf vdf;F OTP te;jhy;> vd;dplk; OTP Nfl;Fk;NghJ OTP vJ njhlu;ghf te;Js;sJ vd kl;Lk; Nfl;L tpl;L OTP $wptpLNtd;. ehd; ,J njhlu;ghf fs Ma;T vJTk; Nkw;nfhs;tjpy;iy vdTk; Cuhl;rp kd;w jiytupd; thf;F %yj;jpy; njuptpf;fg;gl;Ls;sJ.
NkYk;> fl;bl tiugl mDkjp toq;fpl Cuhl;rp nrayu; nuhf;fkhf njhif ngWfpwhu; vd;w ge;jg;Gsp Cuhl;rp kd;w jiytupd; Gfhu; njhlu;ghf> jpUkjp.K.yjh Re;jup fl;bl cupikahsu; kw;Wk; Cuhl;rp nrayu; jpU.KUfd; MfpNahupd; thf;F %yq;fspd; mbg;gilapy;> ge;jg;Gsp Cuhl;rp nrayu; fl;bl tiugl mDkjp Nfhupa gadhspaplk; tpjpfSf;F Gwk;ghf njhif ngw;W> kPz;Lk; mj;njhifapid jpUk;g toq;fpAs;sJ Cu; [pjg;gLj;jg;gLtjhy; rk;ge;jg;gl;l Cuhl;rp nrayu;
jpU.KUfd; vd;gtu; kPJ Jiw uPjpapyhd
eltbf;if vLf;fg;gLk; vd;w tpguk;
njuptpf;fg;gLfpwJ.
vdNt> ge;jg;Gsp Cuhl;rp epu;thfk; njhlu;ghf 20.06.2025 md;W eilngw;w Neub tprhuizapy;
Cuhl;rp kd;w jiytu; nfhLj;j thf;F %yj;jpd;gb mtu; Fwpg;gpl;Ls;s Gfhu;fs; A+fj;jpd; mbg;gilapy; njuptpf;fg;gl;Ls;sJ vd;gjhy;> jdpaupd; 12.05.2025 kw;Wk; 09.06.2025 Fwpg;gpl;Ls;s> ,ju Gfhu;fs; kPJ vt;tpj MjhuKk; ,y;iy vd fUjp Nkw;gb Gfhu;
kDf;fs; js;Sgb nra;ag;gLfpwJ vd njuptpj;Jf;nfhs;sg;gLfpwJ.”
6. A reading of the communication dated 25.06.2025 from the first respondent indicates that the difficulties faced by the Panchayat due to the difference of opinion between the Secretary and the Block Development _____________ Page No. 5 of 7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 04/08/2025 07:38:40 pm ) W.P.(MD) No.16534 of 2025 Officer, both of whom have since been transferred, have been resolved. In view of the same, there is no justification for continuing the impugned order. Accordingly, the impugned order is quashed.
7. Accordingly, this Writ Petition stands allowed. No costs. Consequently, the connected Miscellaneous Petition is closed.
01.08.2025 (2/2) JEN Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes / No Neutral Citation : Yes/No Issue order copy on 04.08.2025 To
1.The District Collector/Inspector of Panchayat, Tenkasi, Tenkasi District.
2.The Block Development Officer, Sankarankovil Panchayat Union, Tenkasi District.
_____________ Page No. 6 of 7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 04/08/2025 07:38:40 pm ) W.P.(MD) No.16534 of 2025 C.SARAVANAN, J.
JEN W.P.(MD) No.16534 of 2025 01.08.2025 (2/2) _____________ Page No. 7 of 7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ( Uploaded on: 04/08/2025 07:38:40 pm )