S.Elumalai Vs The Chairman/District Collector — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

S.Elumalai Vs The Chairman/District Collector — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Writ petition dismissed as withdrawn with liberty to submit a representation before the competent authority seeking redressal of the grievance; no order as to costs; connected WMP Nos.18478, 18379, 18480 and 18476 of 2026 closed.

Issue for consideration

Whether the stone quarry permit sanctioned to the 7th respondent (Thiru.Raghuraman / S.Murali alias S.Raghuraman Reddiyar) in Village Survey No.8/1 of konthamur Village and Village Survey Nos.261/1, 261/2, 161/5 and 261/3B of Thenkodipakkam Village, together with the associated pollution control certificate, was illegal and arbitrary so as to warrant quashing and shutdown of quarry operations. (Raised in the prayer; not adjudicated on merits as the petition was withdrawn.)

Ratio / Principle

At the request of learned counsel for the petitioner, who sought to withdraw the writ petition with liberty to approach the competent authority, the writ petition is dismissed as withdrawn, with the aforesaid liberty.

Key takeaways

The withdrawal was permitted with liberty to the petitioner to submit a representation before the competent authority seeking redressal of the grievance.ratio¶30

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Madras High Court (Division Bench: Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari, CJ and G. Arul Murugan, J.; order by the Chief Justice), WP No.17085 of 2026, decided 01.06.2026. Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for Certiorarified Mandamus sought quashing of (i) District Collector, Villupuram's letter No.Na.Ka.Aa/778/2017 dated 15.02.2019 and subsequent sanctions, (ii) Deputy Director, Geology and Mines' Letter No.Na.Ka.Aa/PUVI(Ma)Sura/92/2023 sanctioning a stone quarry permit to the 7th respondent (Thiru.Raghuraman), and (iii) the related pollution control certificate, alleging illegality, arbitrariness, harm to agriculture, pollution and health hazards, and seeking shutdown of quarry operations in konthamur and Thenkodipakkam villages, Villupuram district. At the hearing, learned counsel for the petitioner sought withdrawal with liberty to make a representation to the competent authority; the Court dismissed the petition as withdrawn with that liberty, made no order as to costs, and closed WMP Nos.18478, 18379, 18480 and 18476 of 2026. No point of law or fact was adjudicated; the decision has no precedential value on quarrying, environmental clearance or pollution-control questions and is citable, if at all, only for the practice of permitting withdrawal with liberty to pursue administrative remedies.

WP No.17085 of 2026

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 01.06.2026

CORAM

THE HON'BLE MR.SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI,

CHIEF JUSTICE

AND

THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE G.ARUL MURUGAN

WP No.17085 of 2026

S.Elumalai 3/1, Kamarasar Nagar Thenkodipakkam village and post Vaanur Taluk Villupuram District – 604102.

: Petitioner

Vs

1.The Chairman/District Collector District Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority Villupuram District Villupuram - 605 602.

2.The Revenue Divisional Officer Villupuram Revenue Division Villupuram - 605602.

3.The Tahsildar

Vanur Taluk Office Vanur Villupuram District - 605109.

4.The Deputy Director

Geology and Mining villupuram - 05602.

5.District Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority Villupuram - 605 602.

6.The District Environmental Engineer Tamil Nadu Environment & Pollution Control Board District Collector Office Complex, Villupuram - 605602.

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WP No.17085 of 2026

7.S.Murali alias S.Raghuraman Reddiyar Street Thenkodipakkam Village and Post Vaanur Taluk Villupuram District – 604102. : Respondents

Prayer: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus to call for the records of the 1^st respondent District Collector Villupuram of the letter No.Na.Ka.Aa/778/2017 dated 15.02.2019 and subsequent sanctions if any together with Letter No.Na.Ka.Aa/PUVI(Ma)Sura/92/2023 dated 00.08.2023 of Deputy Director, Geology and Mines of the 4^th respondent sanctioning stone quarry permit together with pollution control certificate issued to 7^th respondent herein Thiru.Raghuraman or in any other name functioning in Village Survey No.8/1 of konthamur Village and also at Village Survey No.261/1, 261/2, 161/5 and 261/3B Thenkodipakkam Village and quash the same as illegal arbitrary affecting agricultural farming activities leading to vagary of pollution and health hazards and consequently direct respondents 1 and 2 to shut down, cease quarry operations forthwith.

For Petitioner : Mr.M.A.Balasubramanian For Respondents : Mr.K.Kumaran, Government Pleader, for respondents 1 to 6

ORDER

(Order of the Court was made by the Hon'ble Chief Justice)

Learned counsel for the petitioner seeks to withdraw the writ

petition with liberty to submit a representation before the competent authority seeking redressal of the grievance.

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WP No.17085 of 2026

In view of the same, the writ petition is dismissed as

withdrawn, with the aforesaid liberty. There will be no order as to costs. Consequently, WMP Nos.18478, 18379, 18480, 18476 of 2026 are closed.

(SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI, CJ.) (G.ARUL MURUGAN, J.) 01.06.2026

Index : Yes/No Neutral Citation : Yes/No tar

To

1.The Chairman/District Collector District Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority Villupuram District Villupuram - 605 602.

2.The Revenue Divisional Officer

Villupuram Revenue Division, Villupuram - 605602.

3.The Tahsildar

Vanur Taluk Office Vanur

Villupuram District - 605109.

4.The Deputy Director

Geology and Mining villupuram - 05602.

5.District Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority Villupuram - 605 602.

6.The District Environmental Engineer Tamil Nadu Environment & Pollution Control Board District Collector Office Complex, Villupuram - 605602.

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WP No.17085 of 2026

THE HON'BLE CHIEF JUSTICE

AND

G.ARUL MURUGAN, J.

(tar)

WP No.17085 of 2026

01.06.2026

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