Former School Employee’s PIL To Close School Dismissed With ₹25,000 Costs; Madras HC Finds It Was Filed To Settle Personal Scores

The petitioner sought a writ of mandamus directing the authorities to stop the eleventh respondent school from functioning from the 2026–2027 academic year, alleging that it lacked valid affiliation and that student safety and education were at risk

He stated that his child had studied at the school and that he later learned its affiliation had expired on 31 March 2025

The State produced a proceeding dated 25 October 2026 granting renewal of recognition for standards L.K.G. to XII from 1 June 2024 to 31 May 2027

The school contended that the petition was motivated, noting that the petitioner had formerly been its employee and that earlier petitions seeking similar relief had been withdrawn

public interest litigation must advance a genuine public cause and should not be used to pursue personal interests or settle scores

the operative administrative approval renewing the school’s recognition for the stated period

The Court found that the petitioner had been employed by the school and had admitted his child there, making him personally interested in the dispute; it concluded that the petition was brought to settle personal scores rather than to espouse a genuine public cause

It also noted that two earlier petitions seeking similar relief had been withdrawn and that the present petition sought to reopen the same issue

In any event, the school had received renewed recognition valid from 1 June 2024 to 31 May 2027, so the allegation that it was then operating without approval was not made out

It ordered the petitioner to pay costs of Rs.25,000 to the Tamil Nadu Advocates Clerk’s Association within four weeks of receiving a copy of the order; the connected miscellaneous petitions were closed