Madras HC Dismisses Direct-Recruit Engineers’ 2005 Seniority Challenge After They Skip Objections To Tentative List

The petitioners sought seniority as Assistant Engineers (Electrical) in the 2005 panel, including placement alongside internal selectees appointed against vacancies arising that year. The petitions initially sought consideration of a representation dated 15 May 2013; their prayers were later amended to challenge TANGEDCO’s Memo No. 036361/445/G18/G181/2013-5, dated 21 November 2015, which issued a seniority list.

The Court observed that the memo described the list as tentative, made it subject to pending writ proceedings, and invited objections from aggrieved persons within three months. The petitioners had not submitted objections before approaching the Court.

The Court applied the principle that a tentative seniority list, which invites objections and remains subject to further consideration, is not fit to be challenged as though it were a final determination.

Aggrieved persons should submit objections within the stipulated period before seeking judicial intervention. The judgment cites no statute, regulation, or precedent.

The Court treated the challenged memo as provisional because it expressly identified the seniority list as tentative and invited objections within three months. Since the petitioners had not used that opportunity and had approached the Court directly, the Court held that the tentative list could not then be challenged.

The judgment does not separately determine the petitioners’ substantive claims to seniority in the 2005 panel.

The connected W.M.P. was closed.