Disposed¶36

Lalit Kumar R.Shah v. Greater Chennai Corporation

Madras HC27 Oct 2025WP/40121/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Legal heir certificate; insistence on Aadhaar number; refusal of physical application; online-only application procedure; Greater Chennai Corporation; Tahsildar Taluk Office Purasawalkam; deceased sister Mrudula R.Shah; super senior citizen with disability unable to file online; Article 226 Constitution of India; writ of mandamus; substantial justice; special case; non-precedential order; Madras High Court; W.P.No.40121 of 2025; decided 27.10.2025; M. Dhandapani J.; disposed.

What did the court decide?

Direction to the respondents to receive the petitioner's representation for issuance of a legal heir certificate in physical mode (to be filed within two weeks), consider it as filed in digital mode, and pass appropriate orders thereon within four weeks thereafter; order declared non-precedential; no costs. ¶36

Lalit Kumar R.Shah Vs Greater Chennai Corporation — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the respondents should be directed to issue a legal heir certificate to the petitioner in respect of his deceased sister Miss.Mrudula R.Shah, without insisting on the petitioner's Aadhaar number, upon receiving his physical application for issuance of the certificate.

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Court's answer

Considering that the petitioner is a septuagenarian aged about 69 years and not conversant with the online filing process, this Court, sitting under Article 226, expanded the scope of the petition to render substantial justice and pass necessary orders as a special case.

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Ratio / Principle

The respondents are directed to receive the representation filed by the petitioner for issuance of the legal heir certificate in physical mode, which representation is to be filed within two weeks from receipt of a copy of the order.

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Key takeaways

Upon receipt of the representation, the respondents are to take necessary steps to pass orders on it with regard to issuance of the legal heir certificate, considering the representation as one filed in digital mode, within four weeks thereafter.ratio¶35
The writ petition is disposed of in the above terms; it is made clear that the order shall not be treated as a precedent in any other proceedings, and there is no order as to costs.ratio¶37

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Madras High Court (M. Dhandapani, J.), W.P.No.40121 of 2025, disposed on 27.10.2025: A septuagenarian petitioner (aged about 69, with disability) sought a mandamus directing the Greater Chennai Corporation and the Tahsildar, Taluk Office Purasawalkam to issue a legal heir certificate for his deceased sister Miss.Mrudula R.Shah without insisting on his Aadhaar number, as physical applications were refused and he could not apply online. Though the respondents' stand was that only online applications are entertained, the Court, exercising jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, expanded the scope of the petition to render substantial justice as a special case and directed the respondents to receive the petitioner's representation in physical mode (to be filed within two weeks), consider it as one filed in digital mode, and pass appropriate orders on issuance of the legal heir certificate within four weeks thereafter. The writ petition was disposed of with an express rider that the order shall not be treated as a precedent in any other proceedings, and without costs.

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W.P.No.40121 of 2025

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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 M. DHANDAPANI

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W.P.No.40121 of 2025

Lalit Kumar R.Shah

... Petitioner

Vs.

1.Greater Chennai Corporation, Rep. by its Commissioner, Ripon Building, Chennai – 600 003

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2.Tahsildar, Taluk Office Purasawalkam, 3, Raja Muthiah Road, Periamet, Kannappar Thidal, Chennai, Tamil Nadu – 600 003. ... Respondents

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Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to issue a legal heir certificate in favor of the petitioner in respect of the deceased Miss.Mrudula R.Shah died on 02.08.2024, leaving behind the petitioner herein, her brother, the only legal heir, without insisting on giving the Aadhaar number of the petitioner on receiving physical application for issuance of legal heir certificate.

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Page No.1 of 6

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

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W.P.No.40121 of 2025

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For Petitioner : Mr.Samir S Shah for M/s.Shah & Shah For Respondents : Ms.K.Aswini Devi Standing Counsel [R1] Mrs.S.Anitha Special Government Pleader [R2] *****

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ORDER

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This Writ Petition has been filed by the petitioner seeking for a

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Writ of Mandamus, to direct the respondents to issue a legal heir certificate in favor of the petitioner in respect of the deceased Miss.Mrudula R.Shah died on 02.08.2024, leaving behind the petitioner herein, her brother, the only legal heir, without insisting on giving the Aadhaar number of the petitioner on receiving physical application for issuance of legal heir certificate.

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2. Ms.K.Aswini Devi, learned Standing Counsel, accepts notice on behalf of the 1 st respondent and Mrs.S.Anitha, learned Special Government Pleader, accepts notice on behalf of the 2 nd respondent. In view of the consent expressed by the parties, this writ petition is taken up for final disposal at the stage of admission itself.

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Page No.2 of 6

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

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W.P.No.40121 of 2025

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3. The case of the petitioner is that his sister namely Mrudula R Shah had passed away on 02.04.2024. However, the death certificte was uploaded to the portal after an inordinate delay of nearly seven weeks. In the month of December 2024, the petitioner personally visited the office of the 2 nd respondent, who is the competent authority for issuing legal heir certificate, with the intension of submitting a physical application. However, the 2 nd respondent informed the petitioner that physical applications were no longer being accepted and that only online applications would be entertained citing a change of procedure. Since the petitioner is a super senior citizen with disability, he is unable to operate a computer or other electronics devices on his own. Even then, the petitioner tried to apply through online for issuance of legal heir certificate, however he was not able to apply through online since he does not possess the details of Aadhar number. Therefore, he made several representations and notices to the respondents. Even thereafter, there has been no response of action from the respondents. Therefore, left with no other alternative, the petitioner has filed this writ petition before this Court for appropriate orders.

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Page No.3 of 6

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

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petition, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that, it

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W.P.No.40121 of 2025

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4. Though very many grounds have been raised in this writ

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petition, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that, it would suffice, if this Court issues a direction to the respondents to issue a legal heir certificate to the petitioner in respect of the deceased Miss.Mrudula R.Shah, who died on 02.08.2024, without insisting on giving the Aadhaar number of the petitioner, within a time frame that may be fixed by this Court.

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5. Though it is the specific stand of the respondents that the physical applications are not entertained for issuance of legal heir certificate and only online applications are permitted, however considering the fact that the petitioner is a septuagenarian, aged about 69 years and is not conversent with the online filing process, for which reason alone, the petitioner has come before this Court, this Court sitting under Article 226 of Constitution of India could very well expand the scope of the petition and to render substantial justice pass necessary orders, as a special case.

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6. Accordingly, this Court directs the respondents to receive the representation filed by the petitioner for issuance of legal heir certificate Page No.4 of 6

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

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W.P.No.40121 of 2025

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in physical mode from the petitioner, which representation shall be filed within a period of two (2) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. Upon receipt of the said representation, the respondents are directed to take necessary steps to pass orders on the said representation with regard to issuance of legal heir certificate considering the representation as one filed in ditigal mode and pass appropriate orders on the same, within a period of four (4) weeks thereafter.

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7. The Writ Petition is disposed of in the above terms. However,

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it is made clear that this order shall not be treated as a precedent in any other proceedings. No costs.

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27.10.2025

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Index : Yes / No Speaking order / Non-speaking order Neutral Citation Case : Yes/No sp

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1.The Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation, Ripon Building, Chennai – 600 003 2.The Tahsildar, Taluk Office Purasawalkam, 3, Raja Muthiah Road, Periamet, Kannappar Thidal, Chennai, Tamil Nadu – 600 003.

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Page No.5 of 6

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

W.P.No.40121 of 2025

M.DHANDAPANI, J.

W.P.No.40121 of 2025

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