Disposed¶35

R.Usharani@Nandhini v. the Commissioner

Madras HC4 Jun 2025WP/19894/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

death certificate rectification; Greater Chennai Corporation; City Health Officer Zone VIII; writ of Mandamus; Article 226 Constitution of India; legally wedded wife; second marriage 2022; divorce decree 24.11.2006 First Additional Family Court Chennai; representation dated 03.03.2025; fresh death certificate within four weeks; suo motu impleadment of respondent; no costs.

What did the court decide?

Writ petition disposed of with directions to the 2nd respondent (City Health Officer, Zone VIII, Greater Chennai Corporation) to deal with the representation dated 03.03.2025, rectify the death certificate by including the petitioner as the wife of late S.Ravi Kumar, and issue a fresh death certificate within four weeks; no costs. ¶35

R.Usharani@Nandhini Vs the Commissioner — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the 2nd respondent should be directed to consider the petitioner's representation dated 03.03.2025, rectify the name wrongly mentioned in the death certificate dated 30.12.2023, and issue a fresh death certificate. +1 more

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Court's answer

Direction to the 2nd respondent to deal with the representation made by the petitioner on 03.03.2025 and rectify the defect by including the name of the petitioner as the wife of late S.Ravi Kumar.

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Ratio / Principle

On the materials placed before the Court, the 1st marriage (of late S.Ravi Kumar with Sridevi) was dissolved in 2006 and the petitioner married him in 2022; therefore the petitioner alone is the legally wedded wife of late S.Ravi Kumar.

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Key takeaways

A fresh death certificate shall be issued within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of the order.ratio¶34
The Assistant Engineer, Division 100 (Zone 8), Chennai Corporation was deleted as 2nd respondent and the City Health Officer, Zone VIII, Greater Chennai Corporation was suo motu impleaded as the 2nd respondent.¶24

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Judicature at Madras (N. Anand Venkatesh J.), 04-06-2025, disposed of WP No. 19894 of 2025 filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India by R.Usharani@Nandhini, widow of late S.Ravi Kumar, seeking a writ of Mandamus to the Greater Chennai Corporation to consider her representation dated 03.03.2025 and rectify the death certificate dated 30.12.2023, in which Sridevi - whose marriage with the deceased had been dissolved by the First Additional Family Court at Chennai on 24.11.2006 - was shown as wife instead of the petitioner, who married the deceased in 2022. Holding that the petitioner alone is the legally wedded wife of late S.Ravi Kumar, the Court directed the 2nd respondent (the City Health Officer, Zone VIII, suo motu impleaded in place of the deleted Assistant Engineer, Division 100 (Zone 8)) to deal with the representation, rectify the defect by including the petitioner's name as wife, and issue a fresh death certificate within four weeks of receipt of a copy of the order. No costs.

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WP No. 19894 of 2025

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

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DATED: 04-06-2025

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CORAM

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THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE N. ANAND VENKATESH

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WP No. 19894 of 2025

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R.Usharani@ Nandhini W/o.Late.S.Ravikumar, 57, New Sastri Nagar Main Road, Ponniammanmedu, Kolathur, Chennai-600 099.

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Petitioner(s)

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The Commissioner Greater Chennai Corporation, Ripon Building, Chennai-600 003,

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2.Assistant Engineer Division 100 (Zone 8), Chennai Corporation, Anna Nagar, Chennai-40.

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[The 2nd respondent is deleted as per order dated 04.06.2025 by NAVJ]

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The City Health Officer, Zone VIII, Greater Chennai Corporation, Chennai nd [Suo-motu impleased as the 2 respondent vide order dated 04.06.2025 by NAVJ]

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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WP No. 19894 of 2025

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3.Sri Devi

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W/o. Late.S.Ravikumar, No.3/2A, 1st Street, Semathamannan Colony, Mangalapuram, Perambur, Chennai-600 012.

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Respondent(s)

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PRAYER

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Writ petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India for the issuance of writ of Mandamus to direct the 2nd respondent to consider the representation dated 03.03.2025 to rectify the 3rd respondent name wrongly mentioned in the death certificate dated 30.12.2023 and consequently direct the 2nd respondent to issue fresh death certificate in accordance with law.

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For Petitioner(s): Mr.R.Ravindra Ram For Respondent(s): Mrs.Aswini Devi, Standing counsel for R1 and R2

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ORDER

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The Assistant Engineer, Division 100 (Zone 8), Chennai Corporation, who has been shown as the 2nd respondent in this writ petition is

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deleted and instead, the City Health Officer, Zone VIII, Greater Chennai Corporation, Chennai, is suo-motu impleaded as the 2nd respondent in this writ petition.

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This writ petition has been filed for the issue of writ of Mandamus directing the 2nd respondent to consider the representation dated 03.03.2025

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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WP No. 19894 of 2025

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wherein the petitioner has sought for the rectification of the name in the death certificate dated 30.12.2023 and for issuance of a fresh death certificate.

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Heard Mr.R.Ravindra Ram, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mrs.Aswini Devi, learned Standing counsel for respondents 1 and 2.

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The case of the petitioner is that late S.Ravi Kumar was married to one Sridevi. They had a daughter out of the said wedlock. This marriage was dissolved by the judgement passed by the First Additional Family Court at Chennai on 24.11.2006. Thereafter, the petitioner married the said S.Ravi Kumar. Unfortunately, he died on 26.12.2023. While issuing the death certificate instead of mentioning the name of the petitioner, the name of said Sridevi found place in her capacity as the wife. Hence, the petitioner submitted a representation to rectify this defect and since the same was not considered, the present writ petition has been filed before this Court.

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In the considered view of this Court, the materials placed before this Court makes it abundantly clear that the 1st marriage was dissolved as early as in the year 2006. Thereafter, the petitioner got married in the year 2022. Therefore, the petitioner alone is the legally wedded wife of late S.Ravi Kumar. In view of the same, there shall be a direction to the 2nd respondent to deal with the representation made by the petitioner on 03.03.2025 and rectify the defect

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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WP No. 19894 of 2025

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by including the name of the petitioner as the wife of late S.Ravi Kumar and a fresh death certificate shall be issued within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

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