Madras HC Rejects Fireman’s Bid To Revise 2000 Seniority, Citing SC Direction To Protect Finalised Pre-March 2003 Lists

The petitioner, a Leading Fireman in the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services Department, sought revision of his seniority from 2000, based on marks obtained in the 1999–2000 recruitment selection.

The authorities rejected his request by orders dated 6 February 2025 and 18 February 2026, which he challenged under Article 226 of the Constitution.

The respondents relied on the Supreme Court’s order dated 18 April 2023 concerning revision of seniority lists in Tamil Nadu.

The Supreme Court directed that seniority lists finalized after 10 March 2003 be revisited in accordance with the principle that seniority is determined by merit as assessed by the TNPSC in the selection process.

It further directed that finalized lists for selections held before 2003, where seniority had been assigned either by roster or by merit, should not be disturbed.

The order also referred to Bimlesh Tanwar and an earlier Madras High Court judgment as the basis for applying the merit principle to relevant lists.

The petitioner’s request concerned seniority dating from 2000 and arose from a 1999–2000 selection.

The Court considered the Supreme Court’s direction that finalized seniority lists relating to selections before 2003 should not be disturbed.

It therefore declined to entertain a request to revise the petitioner’s seniority from 2000 and dismissed the challenge to the impugned orders.

No costs were awarded, and the connected miscellaneous petitions were closed.