C.Natarajan v. P.N.Sreedhar

JUDGMENT (Judgment of the Court was delivered by G.Arul Murugan, J.) This Letters Patent Appeal under clause 15 of the Letters Patent is filed challenging the order dated 13.03.2026 passed in Contempt Petition No.319 of 2025.

¶2Originally, the appellant/writ petitioner had filed a writ petition in W.P.No.12468 of 2024 seeking to consider his representation dated 26.12.2023. By order dated 30.04.2024, the writ petition came to be disposed of by directing the authorities to consider the representation submitted by the appellant/writ petitioner.

¶3In compliance of the order passed in the writ petition, the Commissioner, HR & CE Department, by order dated 20.03.2025, issued proceedings accepting the case of the petitioner and by constituting a Committee to conduct further enquiries. However, alleging disobedience of the order passed in the writ petition, earlier, the appellant filed Contempt Petition No.319 of 2025, which came to be disposed of on 30.04.2025 by recording the statement of the learned Government Advocate that the representation has been acted upon and an order has been passed on 20.03.2025. However, further direction was issued by the learned Single Judge while closing the contempt petition by issuing directions to take further proceedings in consequence to the enquiry report.

¶4The appellant had filed a sub-application to reopen the contempt petition, which was allowed and the contempt petition was reopened and listed before the Court on 13.03.2026. The learned Single Judge, on perusal of the records and finding that the order passed in the writ petition directing the respondents to consider the representation has been complied with, observed that nothing further remains to be adjudicated in the contempt petition and by order dated

13.03.2026, has closed the contempt petition, which is assailed in the present appeal.

¶5Learned counsel for the appellant contended that since the Committee has been constituted and further proceedings are to be taken up, the order closing the contempt petition by the learned Single Judge is not appropriate and therefore, the appeal is maintainable.

¶6The learned Special Government Pleader appearing for the respondent/HR & CE submitted that the order passed in the writ petition has been duly complied with and the Commissioner has passed a detailed order on 20.03.2025.

¶7When an order has been passed by the Commissioner on

20.03.2025, the order passed in the writ petition stood fully complied with. If at all any further Committee is constituted and the said Committee is adjudicating the issue, it will be only open for the appellant to seek further remedy based on the report submitted by the Committee fixing responsibility on any persons who had indulged in any irregularity. Without resorting to the same, the present appeal filed by the appellant/writ petitioner seeking to challenge the order dated 13.03.2026 is not sustainable. Accordingly, this Letters Patent Appeal is dismissed. However, it will be open to the appellant to pursue his further remedy in accordance with law. There shall be no order as to costs. (SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI, CJ.) (G.ARUL MURUGAN, J.)

19.08.2026 Index : Yes/No : Yes/No sra To The Commissioner, Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department, Uthamar Gandhi Salai, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 034. THE HON'BLE CHIEF JUSTICE AND

G. ARUL MURUGAN, J.

(sra)

19.08.2026

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 19.08.2026 CORAM THE HON'BLE MR.SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE G. ARUL MURUGAN C.Natarajan .. Appellant -vs- P.N.Sreedhar The Commissioner, Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department, Uthamar Gandhi Salai, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 034. .. Respondent Prayer: Appeal filed under Clause 15 of the Letters Patent against the order dated 13.03.2026 passed in Cont. Petn. No.319 of 2025 on the file of this Court. For Appellant : Ms.V.S.Usharani For Respondent : Mr.R.Bharanidharan Spl. Govt. Pleader * * *