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R.Rajalakshmi Vs the Superintending Engineer — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2025)

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Madras HC
2025
R.Rajalakshmi Vs the Superintending EngineerR.Rajalakshmi v. the Superintending Engineer

Dismissed¶23

R.Rajalakshmi v. the Superintending Engineer

Mandamus – TNEB electric poles/lines over private land

Madras HC23 Sept 2025WP(MD)/20784/2018

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Madras High Court (Madurai Bench); W.P(MD)No.20784 of 2018; decided 23.09.2025 by Justice P.T. Asha. Petitioner: Rajalakshmi (counsel R. Suriya Narayanan). Respondents: TNEB Superintending Engineer, Executive Engineer and Assistant Electrical Engineer, Theni (counsel S. Deenadhayalan, Standing Counsel) and Rajagopal (counsel K. Guhan). Prayer: mandamus forbidding erection of electric poles and drawing of electricity lines over petitioner's land (S.Nos. 518/3A, 518/3B, 520, Oonjampatti Village, Theni) pending disposal of her objection dated 27.09.2018. Outcome: dismissed as infructuous since service connection had already been effected to the fourth respondent; petitioner retains liberty to challenge in a manner known to law; no costs; connected W.M.P(MD)No.18535 of 2018 closed.

What did the court decide?

The electricity service connection has already been effected to the fourth respondent.

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Dismissed

Issue for consideration

Whether respondents 1 to 3, their men and agents, should be forborne from erecting electric poles and drawing electricity lines in and over the petitioner's land in Survey Nos. 518/3A, 518/3B and 520, Oonjampatti Village, Theni Taluk, till disposal of the petitioner's objection dated 27.09.2018.

Court's answer

The electricity service connection has already been effected to the fourth respondent.

Ratio / Principle

In view of the service connection having been effected, nothing survives for adjudication; the writ petition is dismissed as infructuous, with liberty left to the petitioner to challenge the matter in a manner known to law, and no costs imposed.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Mandamus – TNEB electric poles/lines over private land – Writ Petition(MD)No.20784 of 2018 (Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, P.T. Asha, J., 23.09.2025): Petitioner Rajalakshmi sought a writ of mandamus (under Article 226 of the Constitution of India) forbearing respondents 1 to 3 (Tamilnadu Electricity Board engineers) from erecting electric poles and drawing electricity lines over her land in S.Nos. 518/3A, 518/3B and 520, Oonjampatti Village, Theni Taluk, till disposal of her objection dated 27.09.2018. On hearing, it was informed that the electricity service connection had already been effected to the fourth respondent (Rajagopal); holding nothing survived for adjudication, the Court dismissed the writ petition as infructuous, left the petitioner free to challenge the matter in a manner known to law, imposed no costs, and closed the connected miscellaneous petition W.M.P(MD)No.18535 of 2018.

A

W.P(MD)No.20784 of 2018

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

DATED: 23.09.2025

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MS.JUSTICE P.T.ASHA

Writ Petition(MD)No.20784 of 2018 and W.M.P(MD)No.18535 of 2018

Rajalakshmi

..Petitioner

Vs

The Superintending Engineer, (operation & Maintenance) , Tamilnadu Electricity Board, N.R.T. Nagar, Theni.

The Executive Engineer, (operation & Maintenance) , Tamilnadu Electricity Board, N.R.T. Nagar, Theni.

The Assistant Electrical Engineer, (operation & Maintenance) , Tamilnadu Electricity Board, Rural West, Allinagaram, Theni.

Rajagopal, S/o Rajendran, Sathyanarayana Kovil St., Bommaya Goundenpatti, Theni Dt.

..Respondents

Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Mandamus, forbearing the respondent 1 to 3, their men and agent from in any manner proceeding with the work of putting up the electric poles and drawing electricity Line in and above the petitioners land in S.No.518/3A, S.No.518/3B and S.No.520 in Oonjampatti village in Theni Taluk in Theni Dt., till the disposal of petitioner objection dt. 27.09.2018, as accordance with law.

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

W.P(MD)No.20784 of 2018

For Petitioner : Mr.R.Suriya Narayanan For Respondents : Mr.S.Deenadhayalan Standing Counsel (for R1 to R3) Mr.K.Guhan (for R4)

ORDER

This writ petition has been filed seeking to forbear respondents 1 to 3, their men and agents, from in any manner proceeding with the work of erecting electric poles and drawing electricity lines in and over the petitioner’s land comprised in Survey Nos. 518/3A, 518/3B, and 520, situated at Oonjampatti Village, Theni Taluk, Theni District, till the disposal of the petitioner’s objection dated 27.09.2018, in accordance with law.

When the matter was taken up for hearing, it was informed that the electricity service connection has already been effected to the fourth respondent.

In view of the above submission, nothing survives for further adjudication. Accordingly, this writ petition is dismissed as infructuous. It is open to the petitioner to challenge the same in a manner known to law. No costs. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petition is closed.

23.09.2025

NCC : Yes/No Index : Yes/No Internet:Yes skn

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W.P(MD)No.20784 of 2018

To

The Superintending Engineer, (operation & Maintenance) , Tamilnadu Electricity Board, N.R.T. Nagar, Theni.

The Executive Engineer, (operation & Maintenance) , Tamilnadu Electricity Board, N.R.T. Nagar, Theni.

The Assistant Electrical Engineer, (operation & Maintenance) , Tamilnadu Electricity Board, Rural West, Allinagaram, Theni.

Rajagopal, S/o Rajendran, Sathyanarayana Kovil St., Bommaya Goundenpatti, Theni Dt.

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

W.P(MD)No.20784 of 2018

P.T.ASHA, J.

skn

Writ Petition(MD)No.20784 of 2018 and W.M.P(MD)No.18535 of 2018

23.09.2025

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Issues for consideration

1 issue framed by the court

AI extract

1.
Whether respondents 1 to 3, their men and agents, should be forborne from erecting electric poles and drawing electricity lines in and over the petitioner's land in Survey Nos. 518/3A, 518/3B and 520, Oonjampatti Village, Theni Taluk, till disposal of the petitioner's objection dated 27.09.2018.¶21
The court held
The electricity service connection has already been effected to the fourth respondent.ratio¶22

Statutes considered

1 provisions across 1 enactments

AI extract

Constitution of IndiaArticle 226¶15

Procedural history

How this case reached the court

AI extract

Prior proceeding
Petitioner had lodged an objection dated 27.09.2018 whose disposal she sought to await before respondents 1 to 3 proceeded with erecting electric poles and drawing electricity lines over her land.¶21
Prior proceeding
By the time of hearing, the electricity service connection had already been effected to the fourth respondent.¶22

Parties & counsel

AI extract

petitioner
Rajalakshmi¶7
Mr.R.Suriya Narayanan
respondent
The Superintending Engineer, (operation & Maintenance), Tamilnadu Electricity Board, N.R.T. Nagar, Theni¶10
Mr.S.Deenadhayalan
respondent
The Executive Engineer, (operation & Maintenance), Tamilnadu Electricity Board, N.R.T. Nagar, Theni¶11
Mr.S.Deenadhayalan
respondent
The Assistant Electrical Engineer, (operation & Maintenance), Tamilnadu Electricity Board, Rural West, Allinagaram, Theni¶12
Mr.S.Deenadhayalan
respondent
Rajagopal, S/o Rajendran¶13
Mr.K.Guhan

Coram

AI extract

P.T. Ashaauthor¶5

Case details

As recorded by the court registry

Court: Madras HC
Decided on: 23 Sept 2025 · September
Registered: 1 Oct 2018
Case no.: WP(MD)/20784/2018
CNR: HCMD011067892018
Topic: Writ and Judicial Review
Bench: P.t. Asha
Disposal: DISMISSED AS INFRUCTUOUS
Case type: W.P(MD)

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Cite this judgement

R.Rajalakshmi v. the Superintending Engineer, WP(MD)/20784/2018 (MAD), decided on 23 September 2025.

The Madras High Court publishes no neutral citation for this judgement — cite it by case number and date of decision.

Statutes1

Constitution of IndiaArticle 226

View all statutes

Procedural history2

Petitioner had lodged an objection dated 27.09.2018 whose disposal she sought to await before respondents 1 to 3 proceeded with erecting electric poles and drawing electricity lines over her land.
By the time of hearing, the electricity service connection had already been effected to the fourth respondent.

View full history

Bench / Coram

P.T. Asha

Parties & counsel