Selvaraj vs The Secretary

WP(MD) No. 25547 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. 25547 of 2026
CNR:{HCMD011242222026}
WMP(MD)Nos.19137 and 19140 of 2026
Selvaraj
S/o.Sivasubbu,
Tirupathi Nagar,
Krishnankovil, Vatrap,
Virudhunagar - 626126
..Petitioner(s)
Vs
1. The Secretary,
Home (Police XVII) Department,
Fort St.George,
Chennai - 600 009
2. The Director General Of Police/the Director,
Fires and Rescue Services, Egmore,
Chennai-600008.
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.
..Respondent(s)
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
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WP(MD) No. 25547 of 2026
Na.Ka.No.1048/Aal/2025 dated 06.02.2025 and the consequential
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 Petitioner(s): M/s G.Karthik, for
Roy And Roy Associates
For Respondent(s): Mr.M.Mahaboob Athiff,
Special Government Pleader
ORDER
The petitioner, who is working as Leading Fireman in Tamil Nadu
Fire and Rescue Services Department has made a request to revise his
seniority from the year 2000 and the same has been rejected by the order
impugned in this writ petition. Challenging the same, the petitioner has
approached this Court.
2.Mr.M.Mahaboob Athiff, learned Special Government Pleader
submits that this issue has already been settled by the Honourable
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 the petitioner for revising the
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WP(MD) No. 25547 of 2026
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.
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.
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WP(MD) No. 25547 of 2026
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
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
Index: Yes/No
Speaking/Non-speaking order
Neutral Citation: Yes/No
DSK
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WP(MD) No. 25547 of 2026
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WP(MD) No. 25547 of 2026
To
1. The Secretary
Home (Police XVII) Department,
Fort St.George,
Chennai - 600 009
2. The Director General Of Police/the Director,
Fires and Rescue Services, Egmore, Chennai-600008.
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.
B.PUGALENDHI, J.
DSK
WP(MD) No. 25547 of 2026
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WP(MD) No. 25547 of 2026
26-10-2026
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