Dismissed¶35

S.Vaidyanathan v. The Assistant Engineer

Madras HC19 Feb 2026WP/5153/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Separate electricity service connection; TANGEDCO Assistant Engineer Redhills; tenant/lessee meter application rejected; lease expired 2024; landlord consent letter withheld; sub-meter consumption charges; Article 226 certiorarified mandamus; writ petition dismissed no costs; Madras High Court; Justice P.T. Asha; Puzhal Redhills Chennai 600 066; S.F.No.61/2C; injunction suit before Sub Court filed 09.08.2023; M-4 Redhills Police Station complaint; WMP No. 5711 of 2026 closed.

What did the court decide?

Even according to the petitioner's own case, the lease was for a period of 5 years from 26.10.2019 and the lease period had already expired in the year 2024 itself. ¶28

S.Vaidyanathan Vs The Assistant Engineer — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Dismissed

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Issue for consideration

Whether the writ petition should quash the 1st respondent's proceedings dated 18.10.2025 rejecting the petitioner's request, and direct the 1st respondent to grant a separate electricity service connection for the petitioner's demised premises at No 499 GNT Road, Thandalkalani, Puzhal, Chennai.

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Court's answer

Even according to the petitioner's own case, the lease was for a period of 5 years from 26.10.2019 and the lease period had already expired in the year 2024 itself.

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Ratio / Principle

If the petitioner's enjoyment of the premises is curtailed, it is well open to him to get appropriate orders from the Sub Court, where his injunction suit is before it.

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Key takeaways

The authority below (1st respondent) rightly considered all the factors and passed the impugned order; the Court finds no reasons to interfere with the well considered order.ratio¶34
The writ petition is dismissed with no costs, and the connected miscellaneous petition (WMP No. 5711 of 2026) is closed.ratio¶35

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

MADRAS HIGH COURT (P.T. Asha, J.; 19-02-2026) — WP No. 5153 of 2026 with WMP No. 5711 of 2026. S.Vaidyanathan, partner of M/s. Anandavalli Trading Corporation, lessee of the vacant land admeasuring 5406 sq.ft in S.F.No.61/2C at Door No.499, GNT Road, Thandalkalani, Puzhal, Chennai owned by the 2nd respondent S. Ravi Kumar under a Lease Agreement dated 26.10.2019 (five-year term; Rs.10,00,000/- interest-free refundable advance; power drawn from the adjacent warehouse through a sub-meter), moved the High Court under Article 226 for a certiorarified mandamus to quash the Assistant Engineer, TANGEDCO's proceedings Ref. Ka.No. Uo. Po / EMa Pa / Grandlane / Ko. Vazhaku / A. No / 25 dated 18.10.2025 rejecting his 23.06.2025 representation for a separate electricity service connection, the 2nd respondent having withheld the consent letter contemplated by the lease. Held: even on the petitioner's own showing the five-year lease had expired in 2024 itself; the petitioner's suit for injunction filed on 09.08.2023 was before the Sub Court, and if his enjoyment was curtailed it was open to him to get appropriate orders there; the authority below had rightly considered all the factors. The writ petition was dismissed with no costs and the connected miscellaneous petition closed.

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WP No. 5153 of 2026

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

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DATED: 19-02-2026

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CORAM

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THE HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE P.T. ASHA

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WP No. 5153 of 2026 AND WMP NO. 5711 OF 2026

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S.Vaidyanathan Partner - M/s. Anandavalli Trading Corproation, No 499, GNT Road, kavangarai, Puzhal Redhills, Chennai 600 066

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..Petitioner(s)

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The Assistant Engineer Tamil nadu Electricity Board, TANGEDCO, bye pass Road, Kamaraj Nagar, Sothupakkam Main Road, Redhills, Chennai 600 066

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S. Ravi Kumar S/o C. subramani, no 14 Bajanani Koil Street, Redhills, Chennai 600 052

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..Respondent(s)

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Prayer: Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for a writ of Certiorarified Mandamus calling for the records realting to the proceedings of the 1st Respondent in Ka.No. Uo. Po / EMa Pa / Grandlane / Ko. Vazhaku / A. No / 25, dated 18.10.2025 and quash the same and diret the 1st Respondent to grant separate electricity service connection for the petitioners demised premises situated at No 499 GNT Road, Thandalkalani, Puzhal, Chennai 600 066.

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

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WP No. 5153 of 2026

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For Petitioner(s): Mr.R.Kamaraj For Respondent(s): Mr.L.Jaivenkatesh, Standing Counsel for R1

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Order

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The petitioner has filed the above writ petition challenging the order passed by the 1^st respondent and to direct 1^st respondent to grant separate electricity service connection to the petitioner’s premises situated at Door No.499, GNT Road, Thandalkalani, Puzhal, Chennai.

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It is a case of the petitioner that the vacant land at Door No.499, GNT

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Road, Thandalkalani, Puzhal, Chennai, measuring an extent of 5406 sq.ft comprised in S.F.No.61/2C belongs to the 2^nd respondent. He had offered the same on lease to the petitioner. The Lease Agreement dated 26.10.2019 was entered into between the petitioner and the 2^nd respondent herein. As per the terms and condition of the Lease, the petitioner has paid a sum of Rs.10,00,000/- as interest free advance amount and the period of lease was fixed for five years. The advance was refundable at the time of petitioner vacating the property. The petitioner would submit that after taking possession of the property, he had spent considerable amount of money for developing the said land and for erecting infrastructures. The electricity to the lease premises was being provided from the adjacent warehouse and sub meter has been installed.

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As per the sub meter, the petitioner paid consumption charges to the 2^nd respondent.

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

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WP No. 5153 of 2026

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The Lease agreement between the petitioner and the 2^nd respondent also provided that the 2^nd respondent would give a consent letter to the 1^st respondent for issue of the separate electricity service connection to the tenanted premises. However contrary to the assurance, the 2^nd respondent has not given the consent letter to the 1^st respondent and also trying to evict the petitioner from the premises. The petitioner would submit that on account of the illegal activities of the 2^nd respondent, he had filed a complaint to the M-4 Redhills Police Station. After enquiry, the 2^nd respondent was directed to restore the power supply to the building, however, the 2^nd respondent is continuing with his threat to evict the petitioner. Therefore, the petitioner would seek to have a separate meter installed. A representation submitted by the petitioner on 23.06.2025 has been rejected by the 1^st respondent. Challenging the same, the petitioner is before this Court.

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Heard both sides and also perused the materials available on record.

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Even according to the petitioner’s own case, lease is for a period of 5 years from 26.10.2019 and the lease period had expired in the year 2024 itself. The petitioner has also filed a Suit for injunction against the 2^nd respondent and 4 others, apart from seeking a mandatory injunction against the defendants 3 to

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5 therein. This Suit has been filed as early as on 09.08.2023. If the petitioner’s

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

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WP No. 5153 of 2026

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enjoyment is curtailed, it is well open to him to get appropriate orders from the Sub Court. Further the lease in respect of the premises has also come to an end. Therefore, the authority below has rightly considered all the factors and passed

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the impugned order. I do not find any reasons to interfere with the well considered order.

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Accordingly, this Writ Petition is dismissed. No costs. Consequently connected miscellaneous petition is closed. Consequently connected miscellaneous petition is closed.

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19-02-2026

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

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The Assistant Engineer Tamil nadu Electricity Board, TANGEDCO, bye pass Road, Kamaraj Nagar, Sothupakkam Main Road, Redhills, Chennai 600 066

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