Dismissed¶49

R.Appash v. The State of TamilNadu

Madras HC14 Jul 2026WA/2727/2024

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Madras High Court writ appeal dismissed — TNPSC Group I Services 2019 reserve list candidate cannot claim Deputy Superintendent of Police post after next recruitment notification 02.08.2022; mere participation in selection confers no right to appointment; reserve list lapses on fresh recruitment notification; DSP selectees (respondents 3 & 4) re-appointed to Indian Defence Accounts Service and Indian Civil Accounts Service after representations dated 10.10.2020; TNPSC letter dated 21.10.2021 confidential inter-departmental communication, confers no right; affirmation of writ order dated 16.04.2024 in WP.No.11582 of 2023; clause 15 Letters Patent appeal; no costs; connected CMP No. 19938 of 2024 closed.

What did the court decide?

Mere participation in the process of selection or selection would not confer any right to a candidate.

R.Appash Vs The State of TamilNadu — Madras HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Dismissed

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Issue for consideration

Whether the appellant, whose name was included in the reserve list for the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police, is entitled to appointment to that post on the ground that respondents 3 and 4 did not continue in it, having been re-allotted to the Indian Defence Accounts Service and Indian Civil Accounts Service. +1 more

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Court's answer

Mere participation in the process of selection or selection would not confer any right to a candidate.

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Ratio / Principle

After the next recruitment notification (notified in the year 2022), the reserve list cannot be operated, as the vacancies left out will be notified in the fresh recruitment notification.

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Key takeaways

Respondents 3 and 4 had joined the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police and, after representations dated 10.10.2020, were again appointed to the Indian Defence Accounts Service and Indian Civil Accounts Service respectively; therefore the appellant cannot seek appointment to the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police based on the fact that his name was included in the reserve list.ratio¶44
The TNPSC letter dated 21.10.2021 is a confidential inter-departmental communication between the TNPSC and the Government providing certain information, and confers no right to claim appointment to the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police.ratio¶44

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

MADRAS HIGH COURT (Division Bench: S.M. Subramaniam & N. Senthilkumar JJ.; judgment delivered by S.M. Subramaniam J.), WA No. 2727 of 2024 & connected CMP No. 19938 of 2024, decided 14-07-2026 — TNPSC Group I Services (Notification No.01 of 2019, published 01.01.2019; ranking list 31.12.2019; counselling 06.01.2020). The appellant, included in the reserve list for Deputy Superintendent of Police but appointed as District Officer, Fire and Rescue Services (joined 20.07.2020), claimed the DSP post on the ground that respondents 3 and 4, who joined as DSP on 24.07.2020, were re-appointed to the Indian Defence Accounts Service and Indian Civil Accounts Service after representations dated 10.10.2020. The Division Bench affirms the writ order dated 16.04.2024 in WP.No.11582 of 2023 and holds: (i) mere participation in the process of selection confers no right on a candidate; (ii) the reserve list lapsed with the next Group I recruitment notification of 02.08.2022 and cannot be operated, vacancies left out being notified in fresh recruitment; (iii) respondents 3 and 4 having duly joined as DSP, the appellant cannot claim the post through the reserve list; (iv) the TNPSC letter dated 21.10.2021, being confidential inter-departmental communication, confers no right to claim appointment. Writ appeal dismissed with no costs; connected Miscellaneous Petition closed.

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2026:MHC:2842

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WA No. 2727 of 2024

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

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DATED: 14-07-2026

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CORAM

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THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S. M. SUBRAMANIAM

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AND

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THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE N.SENTHILKUMAR

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WA No. 2727 of 2024 AND CMP NO. 19938 OF 2024

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R.Appash S/o. R. Ravichandran, 2/63, M.veampatti Post, Harur taluk, Dharmapuri District - 635 305.

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..Appellant(s)

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The State of Tamil Nadu Rep. by its Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home (Pol.2) Department, Secretariat, Fort St. George, Chennai - 600 009.

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The Secretary,

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Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission, TNPSC Road, VOC Nagar, Park Town, Chennai - 600 003.

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Selvi S. Sangeetha, 1147, Pappan Thottam, Bellampatti, Dharapuram, Tiruppur - 638 702.

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Thiru. L.D. Vivekkannan,

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1174C, Manapallam, E.B.Colony, Lakshmi Nagar, Vasavi College Post, Erode - 638 316.

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..Respondent(s)

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

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2026:MHC:2842

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WA No. 2727 of 2024

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Prayer: Appeal filed under clause 15 of Letters Patent to set aside the orders passed by the this Court in WP.No.11582 of 2023 dated 16.04.2024.

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For Appellant(s): Mr.G.Sankaran, Senior Counsel, for Mr.S.Nedunchezhiyan

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For Respondent(s): Dr.R.Gouri, Government Counsel for R1,

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Mr.I.Abrar Md.Abdullah, Standing Counsel for TNPSC for R2,

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Ms.AL.Gandhimathi, Senior Counsel for Ms.R.Priyadharshini for R4

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JUDGMENT

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(Judgment of the Court was delivered by S.M.Subramaniam J.)

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Under assail is the writ order dated 16.04.2024 passed in W.P.No.11582 of 2023.

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2.The writ petitioner is the appellant before this Court. The appellant participated in the process of selection for direct recruitment to the post of Group I Services published on 01.01.2019 vide TNPSC notification No.01 of 2019. The ranking list for the posts included in Group I services was notified on 31.12.2019. The counselling for allotment of posts in different departments

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

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2026:MHC:2842

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WA No. 2727 of 2024

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based on their rank in the selection was conducted by TNPSC on 06.01.2020. Admittedly, the appellant was issued a selection order for appointment to the post of District Officer, Fire and Rescue Services department and he joined the said post on 20.07.2020. So also the candidates selected to the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police including the respondents 3 and 4 were issued appointment orders and they joined on 24.07.2020.

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3.The learned senior counsel appearing on behalf of the appellant would mainly contend that the appellant was aspiring to the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police and the respondents 3 & 4 had not continued in the said post, since they were subsequently allotted to the Indian Defence Accounts Service, as per their representations and in the said post, the appellant is to be appointed.

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4.The writ Court turned down to accede the request of the appellant mainly on the ground that as per the selection order, the appellant was appointed to the post of District Officer Fire and Rescue Services department and he joined on 20.07.2020. The next recruitment notification for Group I services was notified on 02.08.2022 and therefore, the reserve list lapsed and cannot be operated.

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

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2026:MHC:2842

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WA No. 2727 of 2024

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5.This Court is of the considered view that mere participation in the process of selection or selection would not confer any right to a candidate. No doubt 25% of the candidates will be included in the reserve list, which is to be operated in the event of not joining the post by the selected candidates. In the present case, the name of the appellant was included in the reserve list for the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police. However, his turn did not come and more so, the next recruitment was notified in the year 2022 and after the next recruitment notification, the reserve list cannot be operated as the vacancies left out will be notified in the fresh recruitment notification. That apart, it is not the case as if the respondents 3 and 4 had not joined the post, they had joined in the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police and subsequently submitted representations on 10.10.2020 and they were again appointed to the Indian Defence Accounts Service and Indian Civil Accounts Service respectively. Therefore the appellant cannot seek any appointment to the said post of Deputy Superintendent of Police based on the fact that his name was included in the reserve list. That apart, the learned senior counsel would refer to the letter of the TNPSC dated 21.10.2021. A perusal of the said letter would show that it is confidential and inter departmental communication between the TNPSC and the Government, providing certain information, which would not confer any right to claim appointment to the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police.

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

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2026:MHC:2842

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WA No. 2727 of 2024

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6.The writ Court has elaborately considered these facts and rejected the writ petition and this Court does not find any infirmity in the writ order impugned and consequently, the Writ Appeal stands dismissed. No costs. Consequently, the connected Miscellaneous Petition is closed.

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(S.M.S.,J.) (N.S.,J.) 14-07-2026

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Index: Yes Speaking order Neutral Citation: Yes/No

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sai

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1.The State of Tamil Nadu Rep. by its Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home (Pol.2) Department, Secretariat, Fort St. George, Chennai - 600 009.

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2.The Secretary, Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission, TNPSC Road, VOC Nagar, Park Town, Chennai - 600 003.

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3.Selvi S. Sangeetha, 1147, Pappan Thottam, Bellampatti, Dharapuram, Tiruppur - 638 702. 4.Thiru. L.D. Vivekkannan, 1174C, Manapallam, E.B.Colony, Lakshmi Nagar, Vasavi College Post, Erode - 638 316.

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

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2026:MHC:2842

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WA No. 2727 of 2024

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S.M.SUBRAMANIAM J. AND N.SENTHILKUMAR J. sai

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WA No. 2727 of 2024 AND CMP NO. 19938 OF 2024