Allowed

K.Damodharan v. the State of Tamilnadu

Madras HC27 Oct 2025WP/22503/2023

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The High Court quashed the order rejecting the petitioner's claim for notional promotion as a Forester. The Court directed the respondents to grant the promotion on par with juniors with effect from 18.04.2013, relying on a prior identical order in W.P.No.40881 of 2016.

What did the court decide?

Impugned order quashed; respondents directed to grant notional promotion to petitioner as Forester on par with juniors with effect from 18.04.2013.

K.Damodharan Vs the State of Tamilnadu — Pension and Retirement Benefits | Madras HC (2025)

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W.P.No.22503 of 2023

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

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DATED: 27.10.2025

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CORAM:

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THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE G.K.ILANTHIRAIYAN

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W.P.No.22503 of 2023

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K.Damodharan ... Petitioners

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Vs.

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1.The State of Tamilnadu Rep. By its Secretary to Government, Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department, Fort St., George, Chennai-9.

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2.The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, (Head of Forest Force), Guindy-Velachery Main Road, Near Velachery Chek Post, Kannigapuram, Guindy, Chennai-32. ... Respondents

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PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus calling for the impugned order passed by the 2nd respondent in Na. Ka. No. AB1 / 18887 / 2022 dated 30.11.2022, in which the petitioners claim for notional promotion to the post of Forester is rejected and to quash the same with consequential direction to give notional promotion as Forester on par with the petitioners juniors with effect from 18.04.2013 within time frame.

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

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W.P.No.22503 of 2023

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For Petitioner : M/s.K.Jenitha For Respondents : Dr.C.Selvaraj, Additional Government Pleader

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O R D E R

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This writ petition has been filed challenging the order

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passed by the 2nd respondent in Na. Ka. No. AB1 / 18887 / 2022 dated 30.11.2022.

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2. The case of the petitioner is that he is not given notional promotion as Forester on par with his juniors with effect from 18.04.2013. It is submitted by both sides that for similarly situated persons, the same has been implemented and the SLP filed against the said order has also been dismissed.

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3. It is relevant to note that this Court in an identical case in W.P.No.40881 of 2016 by an order dated 22.11.2016 has held that the

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petitioners have not been deputed to Vagai Dam Training for a long time

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

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W.P.No.22503 of 2023

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and if the department fails to post them at a particular place for training, the employee could not blamed for the same and hence, directed the respondents to include the name of the petitioner in the panel for the year 2011-2012 and promote them as Foresters from the date on which their juniors were promoted on notional basis. The appeal filed against the said order in W.A.No.2682 of 2019 has been dismissed by the Division Bench of this Court by an order dated 07.07.2021. In such view of the matter, the benefit of the above order has to be extended to the petitioner and the impugned order has to be quashed.

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4. Accordingly, the impugned order dated 30.11.2022 is quashed

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and the respondents are directed to give notional promotion to the petitioner as Forester on par with his juniors with effect from 18.04.2013 within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of copy of the order.

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

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W.P.No.22503 of 2023

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5. With the above direction, this writ petition is allowed. No costs.

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27.10.2025 Neutral citation: Yes/No (3/3) Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order lok

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

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W.P.No.22503 of 2023

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1.The State of Tamilnadu Rep. By its Secretary to Government, Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department, Fort St., George, Chennai-9.

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2.The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, (Head of Forest Force), Guindy-Velachery Main Road, Near Velachery Chek Post, Kannigapuram, Guindy, Chennai-32.

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

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W.P.No.22503 of 2023

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G.K.ILANTHIRAIYAN, J.

lok

W.P.No.22503 of 2023

27.10.2025 (3/3)

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

K.Damodharan v. the State of Tamilnadu

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

K.Damodharan v. the State of Tamilnadu

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

What the court decided

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