I.John Vs The Chief Engineer — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

I.John Vs The Chief Engineer — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Direction issued to the first respondent (Chief Engineer, TANGEDCO, Madurai) to dispose of the petitioner's appeal dated 21.11.2025 as expeditiously as possible, as contemplated in G.O.Ms.No.81, Human Resources Department, dated 04.08.2022; writ petition disposed of without notice to the respondents and without costs.

Issue for consideration

Whether this Court should issue a writ of Mandamus directing the 1st respondent (Chief Engineer, TANGEDCO, Madurai) to dispose of the petitioner's statutory appeal dated 21.11.2025 within a time period stipulated by the Court, given the petitioner's impending retirement in May 2027 and the impact of the undecided appeal on his promotion prospects.

Court's answer

This writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the first respondent (Chief Engineer, TANGEDCO, Madurai) to dispose of the appeal filed by the petitioner on 21.11.2025 as expeditiously as possible, as contemplated in Government Order in G.O.Ms.No.81, Human Resources Department, dated 04.08.2022; no costs were awarded and no specific outer time limit was stipulated by the Court.

Key takeaways

Because the petitioner claimed he was due to retire in May 2027, the Court disposed of the writ petition without issuing any notice to the respondents.obiter¶28

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Madras High Court (Madurai Bench), W.P(MD)No.4 of 2026, decided 05.01.2026 (B. Pugalendhi, J.). A Junior Engineer Grade I of TANGEDCO, punished by order dated 23.10.2025 with stoppage of increment for one year without cumulative effect following a fatal accident during duty attributed to alleged non-adherence to safety Rules, had filed a statutory appeal on 21.11.2025 before the Chief Engineer, TANGEDCO, Madurai. Claiming retirement in May 2027 and fearing denial of promotion if the appeal remained undecided, the petitioner sought a writ of Mandamus under Article 226 of the Constitution of India directing disposal of the appeal within a time stipulated by the Court. Considering the petitioner's impending retirement, the Court disposed of the writ petition without any notice to the respondents, directing the first respondent to dispose of the appeal dated 21.11.2025 as expeditiously as possible, as contemplated in Government Order in G.O.Ms.No.81, Human Resources Department, dated 04.08.2022. No costs. (Note: although the prayer sought disposal 'within the time period stipulated by this Court', the Court fixed no outer time limit, relying on the timeline contemplated in G.O.Ms.No.81.)

W.P(MD)No.4 of 2026

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

DATED: 05.01.2026

CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE B.PUGALENDHI

W.P(MD)No.4 of 2026

I.John

... Petitioner

Vs

1.The Chief Engineer,

Tamil Nadu Electricity Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd.,

(TANGEDCO), Madurai Region, K.Pudur, Madurai -625 007.

2.The Superintending Engineer, TANGEDCO, Theni. ...Respondents

PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the 1st respondent to dispose of the appeal preferred by the petitioner dated 21.11.2025 within the time period stipulated by this Court.

For Petitioner : Mr.T.Aswin Raja Simman

O R D E R

The petitioner is working as a Junior Engineer Grade I in

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W.P(MD)No.4 of 2026

the respondent TANGEDCO. He has been imposed with a punishment of stoppage of increment for a period of one year without cumulative effect, by order, dated 23.10.2025, that a fatal accident had occurred while he was on duty and the accident had occurred as this petitioner has not followed the safety Rules and he failed to mention the specification of safety measures. The petitioner claims that he is due to get promotion, however, in view of the punishment imposed on him, he has been denied promotion. As against the order of punishment, the petitioner has already filed an appeal before the Chief Engineer, Tamil Nadu Electricity Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd, Madurai/the first respondent herein, on 21.11.2025. According to the petitioner, he is due to retire in the month of May 2027. In the event, if the statutory appeal is not decided within a reasonable time, then his opportunity of getting promotion before his retirement would be affected and therefore, the petitioner has approached this Court seeking a writ of Mandamus to dispose of the statutory appeal filed by him on 21.11.2025 within a reasonable time.

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W.P(MD)No.4 of 2026

2.This Court considered the submissions made by the

learned counsel for the petitioner.

3.Since this petitioner claims that he is due to retire in

the month of May 2027, this Court is inclined to dispose of this writ

petition without any notice to the respondents.

4.Accordingly, this writ petition is disposed of with a

direction to the first respondent to dispose of the appeal filed by the petitioner on 21.11.2025 as expeditiously as possible, as contemplated in Government Order in G.O.Ms.No.81, Human Resources Department, dated 04.08.2022. No costs.

05.01.2026

NCC: Yes/No Index:Yes/No Internet:Yes vrn

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W.P(MD)No.4 of 2026

To

1.The Chief Engineer, Tamil Nadu Electricity Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd., (TANGEDCO), Madurai Region, K.Pudur, Madurai -625 007.

2.The Superintending Engineer, TANGEDCO, Theni.

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W.P(MD)No.4 of 2026

B.PUGALENDHI, J.

vrn

Order made in W.P(MD)No.4 of 2026

05.01.2026

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