Mariappan vs The District Collector,

Court
Madras High Court

WP Crl.(MD) No. 5777 of 2026
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT
DATED: 26-10-2026
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MRS JUSTICE K. GOVINDARAJAN THILAKAVADI
WP Crl.(MD) No. 5777 of 2026
CNR:{HCMD011471292026}
Mariappan
..Petitioner(s)
Vs
1. The District Collector,
Tirunelveli District,
Tirunelveli.
2. The District Superintendent of Police,
Tirunelveli District,
Tirunelveli.
3. The Inspector of Police,
Vickramasingapuram Police Station,
Tirunelveli District.
4. The Inspector of Police,
Cheranmahadevi Police Station,
Tirunelveli District.
..Respondent(s)
PRAYER: Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of
India praying this Court for issuance of Writ of Mandamus directing the
respondents 2 and 3 to remove the petitioner's name from the History
Sheet in HS.No.538/2026 on -the file of the 3 respondent by considering
the petitioner’s representation dated 17.09.2026 within a stipulated period
as framed by this Court.
For Petitioner(s): Mr A.Sankararamasubramanian
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WP Crl.(MD) No. 5777 of 2026
For Respondent(s): Mr.D.Rajaboopathy
Counsel for State of TN (Crl.)
for R2 to R4
Mr.A.Sivasubramanian
Additional Government Pleader
for R1
ORDER
This petition has been filed seeking for a direction to the
respondents 2 and 3 to consider the petitioner’s representation dated
17.09.2026 seeking to remove his name from the history sheet No. 538 of
2026 on the file of the third respondent herein, within time stipulated by
this Court.
2. The petitioner has sent a representation on 17.09.2026 to the
respondents seeking to remove his name from the History Sheet No.538
of 2026. Since the same was not considered, this writ petition is filed.
3. The issue involved in this writ petition has already been dealt
with by the Madurai Bench of this Court and detailed order has been
passed in W.P.(MD)No.19651 of 2017 on 26.09.2018. On the basis of the
above said Order, the Director General Of Police, Chennai, issued a
circular in Rc.No. 66569/Crime 3(2)/2019 dated 24.04.2019, which reads
as follows :-
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WP Crl.(MD) No. 5777 of 2026
“7. From the above judgments the following principles
emerge insofar as history sheeters are concerned:
a. In order to facilitate the study of crime and
criminals, the Police Standing Orders provides a mechanism,
whereby every Police Station shall maintain a crime history,
which shall be a confidential record. In this record all cases of
crime that are mentioned in PSO No.742, which provides
various classes of crime, shall be entered and even an attempt
to commit those offences, are entered in the records
maintained in the Police Station.
b. These crime records maintained by the Various
Police Stations shall be reviewed every year by the Inspector
of Police of the concerned Police Station. On such review, the
Inspector of Police has to furnish a concise appreciation of the
year-s crime for the benefit of the Superior Officers and also to
make suggestions in order to improve the quality of crime
control. The review undertaken by the Inspector of Police is
not merely a catalogue of the crime in the year. It should
reflect the valuable suggestions in order to prevent such
crimes in future and to provide ways and means of handling
serious offences in an effective manner.
c. History Sheet can be opened by the concerned
Police Station under two circumstances. The first circumstance
is provided under PSO No.746, which states that the history
sheet can be opened against a person who is a resident
(permanently or temporarily) within the station limit, who is
known or believed to be addicted to commission of crime,
whether convicted or not. Here the thrust is on the habituality
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WP Crl.(MD) No. 5777 of 2026
or the propensity to commit a crime by a person, which is
sought to be monitored by opening a history sheet.
d. The second category of persons against whom
history sheet can be opened are the persons, who are convicted
for various offences that has been listed in PSO No.747,
wherein opening of the history sheet is automatic.
e. In the first category of opening history sheet, month
wise scrutiny or a close watch on the person concerned is
contemplated. Here also there is sub~categorization as, close
watch bad characters and non~close watch bad characters. In
the former, the entry shall be made month wise and in the
later, the entry shall be made once in a quarter. What is
entered is normally anything of interest in respect of the bad
character, which goes to the notice of the Police. These
records must be checked and brought up to date once in a
year. Here the main thrust is on “Current Doings“.
f. In the second category of opening history sheet, a
mere act of conviction under the offences listed in PSO No.747
is enough. The name of the persons, who have been convicted
for those offences can be retained for a period of two years
after their release from jail.
g. PSO No.748, is the most important provision, which
deals with discontinuance of history sheet. This provision is
common to both the categories falling under PSO Nos.746 and
747. As per PSO No.748, the Superintendent of Police may
order a closure of a history sheet at any time. But, the
Divisional Officer can order closure of history sheet only after
the expiry of the period stipulated in PSO No.747.
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WP Crl.(MD) No. 5777 of 2026
h. As per PSO 748, where retention of the history sheet
is considered to be necessary, even after two years of
registration, orders of an Officer of and above the rank of
Assistant Superintendent of Police/ Deputy Superintendent of
Police must be taken for extension for the first instance up to
the end of next December. For further annual extension from
January to December, separate orders must be passed every
time by an Officer of and above the rank of Assistant
Superintendent of Police / Deputy Superintendent of Police.
This provision is made applicable even for rowdy sheeters.
i. For the purpose of passing such orders, there must
be valid materials available on record and it cannot be passed
on the whims and fancies of the Police Officers. Therefore, the
authority empowered to extend the period of retention of the
names of the persons in the history sheet, should record his
reasons based on both objective and subjective instructions.
j. Branding a person as a history sheeted rowdy, taints
the name and image of the person. It is true that the entire
purpose of maintaining a history sheet is to ensure public
peace. However, it should be balanced with the fundamental
right guaranteed to every citizen under Article 21 of the
Constitution of India. Therefore, a fair and reasonable
decision, based on the materials, with sufficient reasons,
becomes sine qua non to retain the name of a person as a
history sheeter beyond the period stipulated in the Police
Standing Orders.
k. This Court has time and again brought the above
principle to the notice of the Higher Police Officials and in one
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WP Crl.(MD) No. 5777 of 2026
of the judgments in Manivanan Vs. State represented by The
District Collector, Coimbatore District and Others, reported in
(2013) 7 MLJ 501, this Court felt that there is lack of
understanding on the part of the Police in maintaining history
sheet and therefore, directed the Director General of Police to
issue necessary instructions / guidelines / circulars with regard
to the manner in which it has to be maintained and the manner
in which the orders will have to be passed for extension of the
period to continue a person as a history sheeter.”
4. The above principles that have been culled out of various
decisions of this Court will now be applied to each case in order to see if
the Police officials have scrupulously followed all the Police Standing
Orders and the judgments of this Court, while retaining the name of a
person as a history sheeter, beyond the stipulated period.
5. In terms of the above circular passed by the Director General of
rd
Police, Chennai, this Court directs the 3 respondent to consider the
petitioner’s representation dated 17.09.2026 and pass orders, on merits
and in accordance with law, within a period of four (4) weeks from the
date of receipt of a copy of this order.
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WP Crl.(MD) No. 5777 of 2026
6. With the above directions, the writ petition stands disposed of.
26-10-2026
Index: Yes/No
Speaking/Non-speaking order
Neutral Citation: Yes/No
Rmk
To
1. The District Collector,
Tirunelveli District,
Tirunelveli.
2. The District Superintendent of Police,
Tirunelveli District,
Tirunelveli.
3. The Inspector of Police,
Vickramasingapuram Police Station,
Tirunelveli District.
4. The Inspector of Police,
Cheranmahadevi Police Station,
Tirunelveli District.
5. The Additional Public Prosecutor,
Madurai Bench of Madras High Court,
Madurai.
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WP Crl.(MD) No. 5777 of 2026
K.GOVINDARAJAN THILAKAVADI, J.
Rmk
WP Crl.(MD) No. 5777 of 2026
26-10-2026
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