Ramesh Veerappan gounder vs The Commissioner

WP No. 19365 of 2026
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 03-11-2026
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR.SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI,
CHIEF JUSTICE
AND
THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE G.ARUL MURUGAN
WP No. 19365 of 2026
CNR: {HCMA011107522026}
and
WMP Nos. 20635 & 20735 of 2026
Ramesh Veerappa Gounder
S/o.Veerappa Gounder
No.6, kallan kattu Valasu,
Polavakalipalayam,
Gobichettipalayam,
Erode – 638 476.
..Petitioner(s)
Vs
1. The Commissioner,
Gobichettipalayam Municipality,
Municipal Office, Erode Main Road,
Gobichettipalayam – 638 452.
2. The Panchayath Secretary,
P.Vellalapalayam Panchayat,
5/25, Main Road, P.Vellalapalayam,
Gobichettipalayam Taluk,
Erode District – 638 452.
3. Assistant Director (Panchayath)
Erode District Collector Office,
Theeran Chinnamalai Maligai,
Sampath Nagar, Erode – 638 011.
4. The Chief Educational Officer,
No.333 Ground Floor,
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WP No. 19365 of 2026
Old Railway Station Road,
Erode - 638301.
5. The District Educational Officer
(Matriculation Schools),
No.333 Ground Floor,
Old Railway Station Road,
Erode – 638 301.
6. Directorate of Matriculation Schools,
DPI Campus,
Opposite to Sankara Neethralaya Hospital,
Nungambakkam, Chennai - 600034.
7. CBSE Regional Office,
No.3 A” J” Block,
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16 Main Road, Anna Nagar West,
Chennai – 600 040.
8. Directorate of Town and Country Planning,
CMDA Office Complex,
E & C Market Road,
Virugambakkam, Koyambedu,
Chennai – 600 107.
9. District Town and Country Planning,
Uzhavar Sandhai Back Side Gate,
Erode – 638 001.
10. Erode District Collector,
Theeran Chinnamalai Maligai,
Sampath Nagar, Erode – 638 011.
11. Bharathi Vidhyalaya Educational Trust
(Trustees)
No.44-A, Karattur,
Veerapandi Village,
Gobichettipalayam,
Erode District – 638 476.
12. Mr.P.R.Velumani
S/o.Ramasamy,
44-A, Karattur, Kasba,
Bharathi Vidhyalaya School Campus,
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WP No. 19365 of 2026
Veerapandi Village,
Gobichettipalayam Taluk – 638 476.
13. Mrs.P.Amutham,
W/o.P.R.Velumani,
44-A, Karattur, Kasba,
Bharathi Vidhyalaya School Campus,
Veerapandi Village,
Gobichettipalayam Taluk – 638 476.
..Respondent(s)
PRAYER: Writ Petition has been filed under Article 226 of the Constitution
of India praying for the issuance of a writ of Mandamus, directing the
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respondents 1 to 10 to stop the illegal functioning of the 11 respondent
school from the upcoming academic year 2026-2027 and onwards and
also forbid any sort of educational activities including new admission,
training, tutorial, appointments etc., without any valid recognition or
approval, thereby endangering the life, safety, education and future of all
student children.
For Petitioner(s): Mr.D.Rajagopal
For Respondent(s): Mr.M.Roshan Atiq
Additional Government Pleader For R1
Mr.C.Kathiravan For R11.
ORDER
[Order of the Court was made by G.Arul Murugan J.]
The writ petition, styled as Public Interest Litigation (PIL), is filed
seeking a direction to the official respondents 1 to 10 to stop the illegal
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functioning of the 11 respondent/School from the upcoming Academic
Year 2026-2027 onwards.
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WP No. 19365 of 2026
2. It is averred by the petitioner that, in the Academic Year 2023-
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2024, his child studied U.K.G. in the 11 respondent/School. During that
time, he noticed that the School had violated several norms and safety
requirements; thereby, later, for the Academic Year 2025-2026, he
decided to admit his child in the CBSE School, viz., Bharathi Vidhyalaya
CBSE School. Thereafter, he approached the authorities for an enquiry and
subsequently found that school’s affiliation had expired on 31.03.2025.
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Therefore, he has come up with the present PIL seeking to close the 11
respondent/School.
3. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that since
the School is running without valid affiliation, action is to be taken to close
the School, as the interest of the students would otherwise be prejudiced.
4. In response to the contentions made, learned Additional
Government Pleader appearing on behalf of the State, by furnishing the
proceedings of the Joint Director, Directorate of Private Schools, Chennai
dated 25.10.2026, submitted that the authorities have already considered
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the application of the 11 respondent/School. Due approval has been
granted for the Renewal of Recognition to the School for standards from
L.K.G. to XII for the period from 01.06.2024 to 31.05.2027. Consequently,
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as on date, the 11 respondent/School is being run with a valid approval
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WP No. 19365 of 2026
granted by the authorities.
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5. Learned counsel appearing for the 11 respondent/School
submitted that the present writ petition is completely motivated and is a
personal interest litigation, as the petitioner was an erstwhile employee of
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the 11 respondent/School. The employment was during the time when
the School was governed by the former Trustees, i.e., respondents 12 and
13, and now at the instance of respondents 12 and 13, the petitioner has
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been set up to initiate proceedings against the 11 respondent/School, by
making false averments under the guise of a PIL. Further, he pointed out
earlier orders passed by this Court where similar writ petitions filed under
the guise of PILs were dismissed by this Court.
6. We have heard the submissions made on either side and perused
the materials available on record.
7. At the outset, it has to be noted that on an earlier occasion, one
Mr.R.Dinesh had approached this Court with a writ petition in the nature of
PIL through W.P.No.10123 of 2026, with a similar prayer to direct the
official respondents to stop the illegal functioning of the School for the
upcoming Academic Year 2026-2027. By order dated 17.03.2026, that writ
petition came to be dismissed as the petitioner therein sought to withdraw
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WP No. 19365 of 2026
the writ petition. Subsequently, another individual, one Mr.A.V.Balu, filed a
writ petition in the nature of a PIL in W.P.No.13449 of 2026, again with a
similar relief, seeking a direction to the official respondents to stop the
illegal functioning of the School for the Academic Year 2026-2027. Again,
by order dated 15.04.2026, the writ petition came to be dismissed as the
petitioner sought to withdraw the writ petition.
8. Now, the present writ petitioner has also filed this present writ
petition under the guise of espousing a public cause, contending that the
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11 respondent/School is running without any affiliation and, therefore,
action is to be taken. We find that when two writ petitions filed as PILs
have already been dismissed by this Court, the petitioner has now again
come before this Court seeking to reopen the very same issue which was
not entertained earlier.
9. Further, from a perusal of the records, more particularly, records
of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation for the years 2013-2018,
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as rightly pointed out by the 11 respondent/School, we find that the
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petitioner was in fact, an employee of the 11 respondent/School. Since
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the petitioner was an employee of the 11 respondent/School during the
period when it was governed by the erstwhile Trustees i.e., respondents
12 and 13, the petitioner is, undoubtedly a person interested. The present
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WP No. 19365 of 2026
writ petition has not been filed to espouse any genuine public cause, but
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only to wreak vengeance against 11 respondent/School and settle
personal scores under the guise of public interest. Even from the
averments made in the affidavit, we find that the petitioner admitted his
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child to the 11 respondent/School, thereby rendering him a personally
aggrieved party, if at all any grievance exists.
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10. Further, we find that the 11 respondent/School had regular
approval in the past, having been running the School since 1987.
Presently, the authorities, by an order dated 25.10.2026, granted renewal
of recognition for the period from 01.06.2024 to 31.05.2027. Therefore, it
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cannot be said that the 11 respondent/School, as on date, does not have
affiliation and it is run illegally.
11. In view of the fact that the present writ petition has clearly been
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filed with a vested interest to settle scores with a private party (11
respondent/School) and considering that Public Interest Litigation, which is
intended to espouse genuine causes is being exploited, we are inclined to
dismiss the writ petition by imposing terms on the petitioner.
12. In view of the above, the Writ Petition is dismissed with costs of
Rs.25,000/- payable by the petitioner to the Tamil Nadu Advocates Clerk’s
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WP No. 19365 of 2026
Association, Madras High Court, High Court Buildings, Chennai 600 104,
within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this
order. Consequently, the connected Miscellaneous Petitions are closed.
(SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI, C.J.) (G.ARUL MURUGAN J.)
03-11-2026
Index: Yes/No
Speaking/Non-speaking order
Neutral Citation: Yes/No
ab/Jeni
To
1.The Commissioner,
Gobichettipalayam Municipality,
Municipal Office, Erode Main Road,
Gobichettipalayam – 638 452.
2.The Panchayath Secretary,
P.Vellalapalayam Panchayat,
5/25, Main Road, P.Vellalapalayam,
Gobichettipalayam Taluk,
Erode District – 638 452.
3.The Assistant Director (Panchayath)
Erode District Collector Office,
Theeran Chinnamalai Maligai,
Sampath Nagar, Erode – 638 011.
4.The Chief Educational Officer,
No.333 Ground Floor,
Old Railway Station Road,
Erode – 638301.
5.The District Educational Officer
(Matriculation Schools),
No.333 Ground Floor, Old Railway Station Road,
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WP No. 19365 of 2026
Erode – 638 301.
6.The Directorate of Matriculation Schools,
DPI Campus, Opposite to Sankara Neethralaya Hospital,
Nungambakkam, Chennai – 600034.
7.The CBSE Regional Office,
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No.3 A” J” Block, 16 Main Road, Anna Nagar West,
Chennai – 600 040.
8.The Directorate of Town and Country Planning,
CMDA Office Complex, E & C Market Road,
Virugambakkam, Koyambedu,
Chennai – 600 107.
9.The District Town and Country Planning,
Uzhavar Sandhai Back Side Gate,
Erode – 638 001.
10.The Erode District Collector,
Theeran Chinnamalai Maligai,
Sampath Nagar, Erode – 638 011.
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WP No. 19365 of 2026
THE HON'BLE CHIEF JUSTICE.
AND
G.ARUL MURUGAN, J.
ab/Jeni
WP No. 19365 of 2026
03-11-2026
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