L.Raja Vs The Commissioner — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

L.Raja Vs The Commissioner — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

No fresh relief granted by the Court: the writ petition and connected miscellaneous petitions were closed with no order as to costs, as the grievance stood redressed by the respondents' notional promotion (proceedings dated 04.01.2026); petitioner left free to separately contest promotion as Administrative Officer instead of Accountant Officer.

Issue for consideration

Whether the impugned order of the 2nd respondent dated 19/05/2021 rejecting the petitioner's promotion on account of pending criminal proceedings should be quashed and the petitioner promoted (with consequential service and monetary benefits), given that the criminal case later ended in acquittal and notional promotion was granted on 04.01.2026. +1 more

Court's answer

Since the petitioner's grievance of non-grant of promotion was redressed during the pendency of the writ petition by the first respondent's proceedings dated 04.01.2026 granting notional promotion, no further orders were necessary and the writ petition was closed.

Ratio / Principle

It is open to the petitioner to separately assail the action of the respondents in granting promotion as Administrative Officer instead of Accountant Officer, if he is aggrieved thereby; the Court did not decide the correctness of that posting.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Madras HC (T. Vinod Kumar, J.), WP No. 12868 of 2021 & WMP.Nos.13675 & 13677 of 2021, decided 28-01-2026 (service law / Article 226 certiorarified mandamus). Petitioner, Assistant on duty in Accounts Cell (Works), Greater Chennai Corporation, sought quashing of the 2nd respondent's proceedings Ma.Ka.Ku.Na.No.A1 / 5296 / 2004 dated 19/05/2021 rejecting his promotion on account of pending criminal proceedings in CC No.7589/2006 (Addl. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Egmore / Special Court CCB), and promotion with consequential benefits. During pendency, the criminal case ended in acquittal and the 1st respondent granted notional promotion vide P.Thu.CheMu.No.E5/34005/2025 dated 04.01.2026 - however as Administrative Officer rather than Accountant Officer, respondents stating both posts carry the same grade and pay. Holding: grievance redressed, no further orders necessary; petition closed subject to observation that the petitioner may separately assail the grant of promotion as Administrative Officer instead of Accountant Officer. Connected MPs closed; no costs. No precedent cited; quantum nil.

W.P.No.12868 of 2021

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 28-01-2026

CORAM

THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE T. VINOD KUMAR

WP No. 12868 of 2021 and WMP.Nos.13675 & 13677 of 2021

L.Raja

S/o. Late Loganathan, Assistant On doing duty in Accounts Cell (Works), Greater Chennai Corporation, Ripon Buildings, Chennai 600 003.

..Petitioner(s)

Vs

1.The Commissioner Greater Corporation of Chennai, Ripon Buildings, Chennai -3.

2.The Chief Accounts Officer (Administration) Central Accounts Committee, Greater Corporation of Chennai, Ripon Buildings, Chennai -3.

3.The Asst. Commissioner (General Administration)Greater Corporation of Chennai, Ripon Buildings, Chennai -3.

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W.P.No.12868 of 2021

..Respondent(s)

Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records of the 2nd respondent in connection with the impugned order passed by him in Ma.Ka.Ku.Na.No.A1 / 5296 / 2004 dated 19/05/2021 and quash the same and direct the respondents to consider the claim of the petitioner for promotion as Superintendent not withstanding and without reference to the pending criminal case in CC No.7589/2006 on the file of Addl. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Egmore, Chennai and Special Court for Central Crime Branch and promote him as superintendent and grant him all consequential service and monetary benefits within a reasonable time frame as deem fit by this Honourable court and grant such other further relief.

For Petitioner :Ms.R.Deepika Sonali

For Respondents : Ms.Rekha Roashini for Mr.S.Gopinathanb, SC

ORDER

Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Standing

counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents and perused the material papers placed on record.

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W.P.No.12868 of 2021

When the Writ Petition is taken up for hearing today, the learned

counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents submitted that the claim of the petitioner for grant of promotion was rejected earlier under the impugned proceedings of the second respondent dated 19.05.2021 on account of pendency of criminal proceedings.

The learned counsel for the respondents further submitted that since, the criminal case in C.C.No.7589 of 2006 registered against the petitioner having resulted in acquittal, the first respondent has granted promotion to the petitioner vide proceedings in P.Thu.CheMu.No.E5/34005/2025 dated 04.01.2026 notionally i.e., from the date, the petitioner is entitled for being granted promotion.

The learned Standing Counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents thus submitted that since the promotion has been granted to the petitioner notionally by the first respondent vide proceedings dated 04.01.2026, the grievance of the petitioner in the present Writ Petition does not survive further for any consideration.

The learned counsel for the petitioner while not disputing the aforesaid submission, however, submitted that the petitioner being granted 3/6

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W.P.No.12868 of 2021

notional promotion under the proceedings of the first respondent dated 04.01.2026, instead of granting promotion to the post of Accountant Officer, granted promotion as Administrative Officer.

In reply, the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents submitted that the post of Accountant Officer and the Administrative Officer are of the same grade and there is no difference in pay.

Though on behalf of the petitioner, it is contended that the petitioner is entitled for grant of promotion to the post of Accountant Officer, the respondents having granted promotion notionally to the post of Administrative Officer, as the grievance of the petitioner in the present Writ Petition is for non grant of promotion and during the pendency of the said Petition, the grievance having been redressed by the first respondent on issuance of the proceedings dated 04.01.2026, no further orders are necessary to be passed in the present Writ Petition. However, it is open to the petitioner to assail the action of the respondents in granting promotion as Administrative Officer instead of Accountant Officer, if he is aggrieved by the same.

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W.P.No.12868 of 2021

Subject to the above observations, the Writ Petition is closed.

Consequently, connected Miscellaneous Petitions are closed. There shall be no order as to costs.

28-01-2026

Index: Yes/No

Speaking/Non-speaking order Neutral Citation: Yes/No

DP To

1.The Commissioner

Greater Corporation of Chennai, Ripon Buildings, Chennai -3.

2.The Chief Accounts Officer (Administration) Central Accounts Committee, Greater Corporation of Chennai, Ripon Buildings, Chennai -3.

3.The Asst. Commissioner (General Administration)Greater Corporation of Chennai, Ripon Buildings, Chennai -3.

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W.P.No.12868 of 2021 T.VINOD KUMAR, J.

DP

WP No. 12868 of 2021 and WMP.Nos.13675 & 13677 of 2021

28-01-2026

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