Full Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 04-02-2026
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI WP No. 3465 of 2026 and WMP. No.3900 of 2026
1. A.Mathivanan S/o. N.Amirthalingam, Forest Range Officer, Social Forest Range, Natham Social Forest, Dindigul Forest Division, Dindigul.
2. M. Kumar S/o. Manthiramoorthi, Forest Range Officer, ThirumayamRange, Pudukottai Forest Division, Pudukottai.
3. A. Thaheer Ali S/o. Abdul Rahim, Forest Range Officer (Zonal Officer) Ramnad Gulf of Munnar Wildlife Biosphere Reserve Trust, Mandapam Range, Ramanathapuram. ..Petitioner(s) Vs
1. The State of Tamil Nadu, Rep. by its Principal Secretary to Government, Environment Climate Change and Forest Department, Fort St. George, Secretariat, Chennai 600 009
2. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, (Head of Forest Force) State Forest Headquarters, Guindy-Velacherry Main Road, Near KannigapuramCheckpost, Guindy, Chennai 600 032 ..Respondent(s)
Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records relating to the impugned order issued by the 1st respondent in Letter No.6414948/FR.1/2024-1 dated 09.01.2025, served on the Petitioners on 12.03.2025 and to Quash the same and consequently directing the Respondents to include the name of the Petitioners in 2022-2023 panel and to promote the petitioners to the post of Assistant Conservator of Forests on par with junior with all consequential and other attendant benefits. For Petitioner(s): Mr.G.Sankaran, Sr. counsel for Mr.S.Nedunchezhiyan For Respondent(s): Mr.C.Selvaraj, AGP
ORDER
The impugned order issued by the first respondent in Letter No.6414948/FR.1/2024-1 dated 09.01.2025, served on the petitioners on 12.03.2025, is put under challenge in the present Writ Petition. Further, the petitioners had sought for a direction to the respondents to include their names in 2022-2023 panel and to promote them to the post of Assistant Conservator of Forests on par with their juniors with all consequential and other attendant benefits.
2. Heard the learned counsels on either side. With the consent of both sides, the Writ Petition is taken up for hearing at the admission stage itself.
3. The learned Senior counsel for the petitioners submitted that the
petitioners are Forest Range Officers, who have rendered service for more than eight years in the said cadre in the respondent Department and are eligible for promotion to the post of Assistant Conservator of Forests, however their names have not been included in the 2022-23 promotion panel. He further submitted that due to non inclusion of their names in the aforesaid promotion panel, the petitioners filed W.P.(MD) No.3146 of 2025 and during the pendency of the said Writ Petition, the order impugned herein has been passed by the first respondent, rejecting their claim. Hence, the present Writ Petition.
4. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case and the
submissions put forth by the learned Senior counsel for the petitioners, this Court directs the petitioners to submit a representation to the first respondent ventilating all their grievances, within a period of two weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order and on receipt of the same, the first respondent shall consider and dispose of the same on merits and in accordance with law, within a period of six weeks therefrom.
5. With the above directions, the Writ Petition stands disposed of. Consequently, connected Miscellaneous Petition is closed. There shall be no orders as to costs.
6. WMP.No.3899 of 2026 filed by the petitioners to permit them to join together and file a Single Writ Petition is allowed subject to payment of separate Court fee. 04-02-2026 Index: Yes/No Neutral Citation: Yes/No DP To
1. The State of Tamil Nadu, Rep. by its Principal Secretary to Government, Environment Climate Change and Forest Department, Fort St. George, Secretariat, Chennai 600 009
2. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, (Head of Forest Force) State Forest Headquarters, Guindy-Velacherry Main Road, Near Kannigapuram Checkpost, Guindy, Chennai 600 032
M.DHANDAPANI, J.
DP WP No. 3465 of 2026 04-02-2026