S.Thangamariyappan vs The Secretary,

WP(MD) No. 29474 of 2026
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT
DATED: 26-10-2026
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE B.PUGALENDHI
WP(MD) No. 29474 of 2026
CNR:{HCMD011463722026}
1. S.Thangamariyappan
S/o. M. Chockalingam,
No. 2, Kumar Street,
Veeramanikckapuram,
Melapalayam Post,
Tirunelveli - 627 005
2. R. Selvarathinam
S/o. M. Rathiam,
No. 52, Pillaiyar Kovil Street,
Goripalayam, Tallakullam,
Madurai - 625 002
3. C. Ulagumuthu
S/o. Chocbkalingam,
No. 8/84, K. Vellammal Illam,
Sarojini Nagar, Krishnapuram,
Tirunelveli - 627 Oil
4. P. Herold Robert
S/o. Packiadass,
No. 9/ 123, Kumaran Kudivilai,
Mekkmandapam Post,
Kanyakumari District - 629 166
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WP(MD) No. 29474 of 2026
5. G. Murugan
S/o. Ganapathy,
No. 66, Nazareth Road,
Alwarthirunagar,
Thoothukudi - 628612.
..Petitioners
Vs
1. The Secretary,
Home (Police XVlIl) Department,
Fort St. George,
Chennai - 600 009Chennai
2. The District General of Police/Director,
Fires and Rescue Services,
Egmore,
Chennai - 600 008
3. The Chairman,
Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment
Board,
Old Commissioner of Police Complex,
Pantheon Road,
Egmore,
Chennai - 600 008
4. The Member Secretary
Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment
Board,
Old Commissioner of Police Complex,
Pantheon Road,
Egmore, Chennai - 600 008
..Respondents
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WP(MD) No. 29474 of 2026
PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of
India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus to
call for the records pertaining to the impugned order in Rc.
No.601/B1/2026 dated 18.02.2026 on the file of the Respondent No.2
and quash the same as illegal and consequentially for a direction,
directing the Respondents No. 1 to 3 to revise the seniority list of the
Fireman recruited in the year 1999-2000 on the basis of the marks
obtained in the selection process within the time stipulated by this Court.
For Petitioners :Mr.G.Karthik
For Respondents :Mr.M.Mahaboob Athiff
Special Government Pleader
O R D E R
The petitioners, who are working as Leading Firemen in Tamil
Nadu Fire and Rescue Services Department have made a request to revise
their seniority from the year 2000 and the same has been rejected by the
order impugned in this writ petition. Challenging the same, the petitioners
have approached this Court.
2.Mr.M.Mahaboob Athiff, learned Special Government Pleader
submits that this issue has already been settled by the Honourable
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WP(MD) No. 29474 of 2026
Supreme Court in Contempt Petition (Civil) Diary No.6415/2021 etc.,
dated 18.04.2023, by observing that the revision of seniority, if any,
based on the merit of the TNPSC selection would be made only with
effect from 2003. Therefore, the request of these petitioners for revising
the seniority with effect from 2000 has been rejected. The learned Special
Government Pleader has also relied on the relevant portions from the
above order and the same is extracted as under:-
“ 17. We, therefore, though are not inclined to
th
disturb the seniority lists which are finalized prior to 10
March, 2003 wherein the benefit is granted to either of the
parties i.e. as per the roster or as per the seniority list, the
th
seniority list finalized after 10 March, 2003 will have to
be re-visited in accordance with the law laid down by this
Court in Bimlesh Tanwar (supra) and the first judgment of
the Madras High Court.
18.We are unable to accept the contention of the
learned AAG that the State is not equipped to complete
the exercise. He submitted that this exercise has to be
conducted in about 54 Departments.
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WP(MD) No. 29474 of 2026
19.If the State has 54 Departments, at least there
would be 54 Secretaries/Principal Secretaries/Additional
Chief Secretaries heading those Departments. Under such
Secretaries, there will be at least half a dozen Joint
Secretaries and more than a dozen Deputy Secretaries
and about two dozen Under Secretaries working in each
of the Department. Further, at the divisional levels also,
there would be Heads who would be heading the
Department insofar as the Divisions are concerned. We
are therefore, no inclined to accept the argument.
20.If the State has the will to do, it can very well
comply with the orders passed by the Division Bench of
the Madras High Court and affirmed by this Court.
21.We therefore, direct the State Government to
complete the exercise of finalizing the seniority lists of
th
selection processes conducted after 10 March, 2003 on
the basis of the principle that the seniority list shall be
reckoned only on the basis of the merit as determined by
the TNPSC in the selection process.
22.It is further made clear that if any list is
finalized in case of selections held prior to 2003 giving
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WP(MD) No. 29474 of 2026
benefit to the persons selected as per their seniority or as
per merit, the same shall also not to be disturbed.’’
3.In view of the above orders of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, this
court is not inclined to entertain this writ petition. Accordingly, this writ
petition is dismissed. No costs. Consequently connected miscellaneous
petitions are closed.
26-10-2026
DSK
To
1. The Secretary,
Home (Police XVlIl) Department,
Fort St. George,
Chennai - 600 009Chennai
2. The District General of Police/Director,
Fires and Rescue Services,
Egmore, Chennai - 600 008
3. The Chairman,
Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board,
Old Commissioner of Police Complex,
Pantheon Road,
Egmore, Chennai - 600 008
4. The Member Secretary
Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board,
Old Commissioner of Police Complex,
Pantheon Road,Egmore, Chennai - 600 008.
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WP(MD) No. 29474 of 2026
B.PUGALENDHI, J.
DSK
WP(MD) No. 29474 of 2026
26-10-2026
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