Disposed¶28

Selvaraj.C v. The Deputy Director General of Forests (Central)

Madras HC9 Jan 2026WP(MD)/22937/2023

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Saw mill licence renewal; Writ of Mandamus; Article 226 Constitution of India; Saravana Saw Mill; S.No.727/9A1, Dindigul Road, Sivapuripatti Panchayat, Singampunari, Thioruppathur Taluk, Sivagangai District; District Forest Officer Sivagangai; Deputy Director General of Forests (Central); State Empowerment Committee On Forest; renewal kept pending for want of Government guidelines; recommendation pending before Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Chennai; direction to renew licence within three months; W.P.(MD) No.22937 of 2023; Madras High Court Madurai Bench; decided 09.01.2026.

What did the court decide?

Mandamus granted in the form of a direction: respondents to renew the petitioner's licence for “Saravana Saw Mill” within three months from receipt of a copy of the order; no order as to costs. ¶28

Selvaraj.C Vs The Deputy Director General of Forests… — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

¶1

W.P.(MD) No.22937 of 2023

¶2

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENGH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

¶3

DATED: 09.01.2026

¶4

CORAM

¶5

THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE KRISHNAN RAMASAMY

¶6

W.P.(MD)No.22937 of 2023

C.Selvaraj

... Petitioner

The Deputy Director General of Forests (Central), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Integrated Regional Office, 1^st Floor, Additional Office, Block For GPOA, Shastri Bhavan, Haddows Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai – 6.

¶11

The State Empowerment Committee On Forest, C/o Panagal Buildings, Anna Salai, Saithapet, Chennai 15.

¶12

The District Forest Officer, Sivagangai, Sivagangai District. ... Respondents

¶13

Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to renew the petitioner's license to “Saravana Saw Mill” established in S.No. 727/9A1, Dindigul Road, Sivapuripatti Panchayat, Singampunari, Thioruppathur Taluk, Sivagangai District by issuing him the license.

¶14

1/4

¶15

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

¶16

W.P.(MD) No.22937 of 2023

¶17

For Petitioner	: Ms.V.Janaki Devi
For R espondents	: Mr.K.Balasubramani,
	Spl. Govt. Pleader

¶18

O R D E R

¶19

This Writ Petition is filed seeking a Mandamus as against

¶20

the respondents to renew the petitioner's license to “Saravana Saw Mill” established in S.No.727/9A1, Dindigul Road, Sivapuripatti Panchayat, Singampunari, Thioruppathur Taluk, Sivagangai District by issuing him the license.

¶21

2. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner is running a Saw Mill in the name and style of “Saravana Saw Mill” at Singampunari. The petitioner's license was renewed upto the year 2012. Hence, the petitioner applied for license renewal in the year 2017 and since then, the petitioner has not been given any renewal license. In the meantime, the petitioner applied for the 2 nd license renewal on 22.09.2022 for the period from 2022-2027. However, the 3 rd respondent without renewing license, sent a letter dated

¶22

2/4

¶23

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

¶24

W.P.(MD) No.22937 of 2023

¶25

16.05.2023, stating that his license renewal is kept pending for want of Government guidelines. Hence, the petitioner has filed this Writ Petition.

¶26

3. The learned Special Government Pleader appearing for the respondents would submit that with regard to the renewal of license, a recommendation has been forwarded and the same is pending before the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Chennai. Hence, he seeks three months time.

¶27

4. Recording the said submission, the respondents are directed to renew the license of the petitioner, within a period of three (3) months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

¶28

5. With the above direction, this Writ Petition is disposed of.

¶29

There shall be no order as to costs.

¶30

09.01.2026

¶31

Index : Yes/No Neutral Citation: Yes/No vsm

¶32

3/4

¶33

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

¶34

W.P.(MD) No.22937 of 2023

¶35

KRISHNAN RAMASAMY, J.

¶36

vsm

¶37

¶38

The Deputy Director General of Forests (Central), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Integrated Regional Office, 1^st Floor, Additional Office, Block For GPOA, Shastri Bhavan, Haddows Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai – 6.

¶39