Dismissed¶¶28

Annamalai v. The District Collector

Madras HC27 Feb 2026WP(MD)/5640/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Anganwadi Centre; demolition of existing Anganwadi building; dilapidated condition shown by photographs; tender called for construction of Anganwadi Centre; public interest litigation dismissed with costs; writ of certiorari under Article 226; safety of public and school-going children; welfare measure of State Government; Executive Officer, Tiruppuvanam Town, Sivagangai District; District Collector, Sivagangai; Na.Ka.No.44/2026/A1 dated 09.02.2026; costs Rs.500/- payable to High Court Legal Services Committee, Madurai; Madurai Bench of Madras High Court; W.P.(MD) No.5640 of 2026.

What did the court decide?

The Court is not inclined to entertain the writ petition since the matter involves the safety of the public, particularly school-going children. ¶¶27

Annamalai Vs The District Collector — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Dismissed

¶¶28

Issue for consideration

Whether the writ petition challenging the second respondent's proceedings dated 09.02.2026, whereby the proposal to put up a new Anganwadi Centre was proceeded with and tenders called for its construction, deserves to be entertained. +1 more

¶¶21

Court's answer

The Court is not inclined to entertain the writ petition since the matter involves the safety of the public, particularly school-going children.

¶¶27

Ratio / Principle

The public interest litigation was filed with an intention to stop the welfare measure of the State Government and needs to be condemned and dismissed with costs.

¶¶27

Key takeaways

The Court proceeded on the basis of photographs shown by the learned Government Pleader depicting the existing Anganwadi building as being in dilapidated condition, against the petitioner's contention that it was strong enough.ratio¶¶23
The writ petition is dismissed with costs of Rs.500/- payable by the petitioner to the High Court Legal Services Committee, Madurai, within fifteen days, and the connected miscellaneous petitions are closed.ratio¶¶28

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Madras High Court, Madurai Bench (DR.JUSTICE G.JAYACHANDRAN and MR.JUSTICE K.K.RAMAKRISHNAN; order by DR.G.JAYACHANDRAN, J.), W.P.(MD) No.5640 of 2026, decided 27.02.2026 — A public spirited petitioner filed a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking certiorari to quash the proceedings of the second respondent, the Executive Officer, Tiruppuvanam Town, Sivagangai District (Na.Ka.No.44/2026/A1 dated 09.02.2026), whereby the respondent proceeded with the proposal of putting up a new Anganwadi Centre and called for tenders for its construction; the petitioner contended that the existing Anganwadi Centre was strong enough and need not be demolished. The learned Government Pleader showed photographs depicting the existing building in dilapidated condition. Held, since the matter involves the safety of the public, particularly school-going children, the Court was not inclined to entertain the writ petition; the public interest litigation, filed with an intention to stop the welfare measure of the State Government, was condemned and dismissed with costs of Rs.500/- (Rupees five hundred only), payable by the petitioner to the High Court Legal Services Committee, Madurai, within fifteen days. Connected miscellaneous petitions W.M.P.(MD) Nos.4698 & 4700 of 2026 closed.

¶1

W.P.(MD) No.5640 of 2026

¶2

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

¶3

DATED : 27.02.2026

¶4

CORAM:

¶5

THE HONOURABLE DR.JUSTICE G.JAYACHANDRAN and THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE K.K.RAMAKRISHNAN

¶6

W.P.(MD) No.5640 of 2026 and

¶7

W.M.P.(MD) Nos.4698 & 4700 of 2026

¶8

Annamalai ... Petitioner

¶9

-vs-

¶10

1.The District Collector Office of the District Collector Sivagangai District

¶11

2.The Executive Officer Tiruppuvanam Town Sivagangai District ... Respondents

¶12

PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a writ of certiorari calling for the records pertaining to the impugned proceedings issued by the 2^nd respondent vide Na.Ka.No.44/2026/A1 dated 09.02.2026 and quash the same as illegal and arbitrary.

¶13

For Petitioner : Mr.V.Malaiyendran For Respondents : Mr.P.Thilakkumar Government Pleader

¶14

_____________ Page 1 of 5_

¶15

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

¶16

O R D E R

¶17

W.P.(MD) No.5640 of 2026

¶18

[Order of the Court was made by DR.G.JAYACHANDRAN, J.]

¶19

Mr.P.Thilakkumar, learned Government Pleader, takes notice for

¶20

the respondents.

¶21

2. The petitioner, claiming himself as a public spirited person, has filed this writ petition challenging the proceedings of the second respondent, dated 09.02.2026, whereby the second respondent has proceeded with the proposal of putting up an Anganwadi Centre in his jurisdiction and called for tenders for construction of the Anganwadi Centre.

¶22

3. The contention of the petitioner is that the existing Anganwadi Centre is strong enough and therefore, there is no necessity to demolish the same and to put up a new Anganwadi Centre.

¶23

4. Whereas, learned Government Pleader appearing for the respondents has shown photographs, which show that the existing building is in dilapidated condition.

¶24

Page 2 of 5

¶25

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

¶26

W.P.(MD) No.5640 of 2026

¶27

5. Since the matter involves safety of the public, particularly, school going children, we are not inclined to entertain this writ petition and this public interest litigation filed with an intention to stop the welfare measure of the State Government needs to be condemned and dismissed with costs.

¶28

6. Accordingly, this writ petition is dismissed with costs of Rs.500/- (Rupees five hundred only) payable by the petitioner to the High Court Legal Services Committee, attached to the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai, within a period of fifteen days from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed.

¶29

[G.J., J.] [K.K.R.K., J.] 27.02.2026

¶30

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

¶31

Note to Office:

¶32

Mark a copy of this order to the Officer Incharge, High Court Legal Services Committee, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai.

¶33

krk

¶34

_____________ Page 3 of 5_