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

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

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Writ petition allowed; impugned order dated 13.03.2026 passed by the second respondent set aside; second respondent directed to provide temporary electricity service connection to the petitioner for the subject property, subject to the petitioner satisfying all other eligibility requirements, within four (4) weeks from receipt of a copy of the order; no order as to costs; connected miscellaneous petition (W.M.P.(MD)No.6503 of 2026) closed.

Issue for consideration

Whether the second respondent could lawfully reject the petitioner's application for temporary electricity service connection on the ground of pendency of court cases, when neither any pending court proceeding relating to the subject property nor any order of restraint operating against the petitioner could be substantiated.

Court's answer

Since the learned counsel for the second respondent was unable to substantiate the existence of any pending court proceedings relating to the subject property, and no order of restraint operates against the petitioner from obtaining the connection, the rejection of the petitioner's application for temporary electricity service connection is arbitrary and unsustainable.

Ratio / Principle

The writ petition is allowed; the impugned order dated 13.03.2026 passed by the second respondent is set aside, and the second respondent is directed to provide temporary electricity service connection to the petitioner for the subject property, subject to the petitioner satisfying all other eligibility requirements.

Key takeaways

The exercise of providing the temporary electricity service connection shall be completed within a period of four (4) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of the order.ratio¶30

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Writ Petition (Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, decided 25.03.2026) - N.Vijayakumar v. District Collector, Sivagangai and others. The petitioner's online application (Reference No. 200054030326544, dated 12.03.2026) for a temporary electricity service connection for construction purposes was rejected on 13.03.2026 by the Assistant Engineer, TANGEDCO (second respondent) on the ground of pendency of court cases. As learned counsel for the second respondent could not substantiate the existence of any pending court proceedings relating to the subject property, nor any order of restraint operating against the petitioner, the Court held the rejection arbitrary and unsustainable, set aside the impugned order, and directed the second respondent to provide the temporary electricity service connection subject to the petitioner satisfying all other eligibility requirements, within four (4) weeks. No costs; connected W.M.P.(MD)No.6503 of 2026 closed. Filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus.

W.P.(MD)No.7938 of 2026

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

DATED: 25.03.2026

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE HEMANT CHANDANGOUDAR

W.P.(MD)No.7938 of 2026 and W.M.P.(MD)No.6503 of 2026

N.Vijayakumar

... Petitioner

vs.

1.The District Collector, Sivagangai District, Sivagangai.

2.The Assistant Engineer, TANGEDCO, Karaikudi Rural, Sivagangai District.

3.The President, Shankarapuram Panchayat, Karaikudi, Sivagangai District. ... Respondents

PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, to call upon records relating to the impugned order, dated 13.03.2026 passed by the 2^nd respondent on the application made by the petitioner’s in Application reference No. 200054030326544 and quash the same as illegal and consequently direct the 2^nd respondent to grant the petitioner with an electricity service connection by considering her online application dated

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W.P.(MD)No.7938 of 2026

12.03.2026 in Application reference No. 200054030326544 within a stipulated time fixed by this Court.

For Petitioner	:Mr.T.Manikandan
For R1	:Mr.S.Kameswaran
	Government Advocate
For R2	:Mr.S.Deenadhayalan *****

O R D E R

The petitioner challenges the order dated 13.03.2026 passed by the

second respondent, by which the petitioner’s application for grant of temporary electricity service connection was rejected on the ground of pendency of court cases.

The petitioner had submitted an application seeking temporary electricity service connection for construction purposes. The said application came to be rejected by the second respondent through the impugned order.

The learned counsel appearing for the second respondent is unable to substantiate the existence of any pending court proceedings relating to the subject property, in which the petitioner is seeking

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W.P.(MD)No.7938 of 2026

temporary electricity service connection, nor is there any order of restraint operating against the petitioner from obtaining such connection. In such circumstances, the rejection of the petitioner’s application is arbitrary and unsustainable.

Accordingly, the writ petition is allowed and the impugned order dated 13.03.2026 passed by the second respondent is set aside. The second respondent is directed to provide temporary electricity service connection to the petitioner for the subject property, subject to the petitioner satisfying all other eligibility requirements.

The above exercise shall be completed within a period of four

(4) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petition is closed.

Index :Yes / No 25.03.2026 Internet :Yes / No NCC :Yes / No

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W.P.(MD)No.7938 of 2026

cmr

To

The District Collector, Sivagangai District, Sivagangai.

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W.P.(MD)No.7938 of 2026

HEMANT CHANDANGOUDAR, J.

cmr

W.P.(MD)No.7938 of 2026

25.03.2026

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