O.Jeyachandran v. The Additional Chief Secretary to Government/

ORDER Heard the learned senior counsel for the writ petitioner and the learned Additional Advocate General assisted by the learned Additional Government Pleader for the respondents.

2.The petitioners were originally appointed as Secondary Grade Teachers in Kallar Reclamation Schools. They were subsequently posted as Wardens. They question G.O.(P)No.49, Backward Class, Most Backward Class and Minorities Welfare Department, dated 30.05.2023 issued by backward class, most backward class and minorities department on the grounds set out in the affidavit filed in support of the writ petition.

3.The respondents have filed counter affidavit and the learned Additional Advocate General took me through its contents. According to the respondents, the government order reflects the policy decision of the Government and that it does not suffer from arbitrariness and unreasonableness and that therefore, it does not warrant interference. He pressed for dismissal of this writ petition.

4.I carefully considered rival contentions and went through the materials on record. paragraph Nos.4 and 5 of the impugned government order read as follows:-

4.kpfg;gpw;gLj;jg;gl;Nlhh; kw;Wk; rph;kugpdh; ey Mizahpz; fUj;JUtpid ed;F Ma;T nra;J> mjid Vw;W> kJiu> Njdp kw;Wk; jpz;Lf;fy; khtl;lq;fspy; nray;gl;LtUk; fs;sh; rPuikg;G gs;spfspy;

gzpGhpe;J

tUk;

Mrphpah;fis W.P(MD)No.14044eofe2023 tpUg;gj;jpd; Nghpy; fPo;f;fz;l eilKiwfis gpd;gw;wp fs;sh; rPuikg;G tpLjpfspy; fhgg; hsh/; fhg;ghspdpfshf gzpkhWjy; nra;a muR MizapLfpwJ.

(i) jFjpfhz; gUtk; epiwT ngw;w Mrphpah;fs; kl;LNk tpLjp fhg;ghsh;fshf epakdk; nra;agg; l Ntz;Lk;.

(ii) mt;thW epakdk; nra;ag;gLk; Mrphpah;fs; mjpfg;gbahf %d;whz;Lfs; kl;LNk njhlh;r;rpahf fhgg; hsh;fshf gzpaw;wyhk;.

(iii) tpLjpfspy; fhg;ghsh/; fhgg; hspdpfshf gzpahw;Wk; fhyj;jpy; mth;fs; kPJ Fw;wrhl;Lfs; VJk; Vw;gLj;jg;gl;L ep&gpf;fgl;lhy; mth;fSf;F kPz;Lk; tpLjpfspy; gzpahw;wpl thag; ;Gfs; toq;fg;gl khl;lhJ.

(iv) tpLjpfspy; %d;whz;L fhyk; gzpGhpe;j fhgg; hsh/; fhg;ghspdpfis fl;lhag; gzpkhWjypy; gs;spfspy; Mrphpah;fshf gzpakh;jgg; l;L Fiwe;jJ %d;whz;Lfs; Mrphpah;fshf gzpahw;wpa gpd;dh; tpUg;gj;jpd; Nghpy; ,uz;lhtJ Kiwahf kPz;Lk; fhg;ghsh;/fhg;ghspdpfshf gzpkhWjy; toq;fplyhk;.

(v) jw;Nghija epiyapy; MW Mz;Lfs; my;yJ mjw;F Nkyhf tpLjpfspy; gzpGhpe;J Kbj;jpUg;gpd; tUk; fy;tpahz;by; fhgg; hsh/; fhg;ghspdpfs; gs;spfSf;F Mrphpah;fshf W.P(MD)No.14044eofe2023 gzpkhWjy; nra;agg; l Ntz;Lk;.

(vi) ,t;thW tpUg;gj;jpd; Nghpy; gzpkhWjy; ngWk; fhg;ghsh;/fhg;ghspdpfs; mth;fsJ gzpfhyj;jpy; mjpfgg; bahf MW Mz;Lfs; kl;LNk tpLjpfspy; fhg;ghsh/; fhgg; hspdpfshf gzpahw;w ,aYk;.

(vi) gs;spfspy; ,ilepiy Mrphpah; / gl;ljhhp Mrphpah;fSf;fhd fhypahfTs;s gzpalq;fSs; nghJ khWjy; fye;jhA;T eilngWk;NghJ tpLjpfspy; cs;s fhg;ghsh;/fhgg; hspdpfs; fhypg; gzpaplq;fisAk; xUq;fpizj;J fhypg; gzpaplq;fshf mwptpgG; nra;ag;gl Ntz;Lk;.

¶5NkYk;> jkpo;ehL gpw;gLj;Jg;gl;Nlhh; eyj;Jiwapd; rhh;epiyg; gzpfSf;fhd rpw;g;G tpjpfspy;> tpjp II-d;gb fhgg; hsh/; fhg;ghspdp gzpaplk; 1:2 vd;w tpfpj;jpy;> mjhtJ> 33 1/3%o Neub epakdhfTk;> 66 2/3% kw;w gzpfspypUe;J khWjy; %yKk; epug;gl;L tUfpwJ. fhg;ghsh; kw;Wk; Mrphpah;fSf;fpilNaahd ghpkhw;wk; Kiwapy; gzp epakdk; (Interchangeability) Nkw;nfhs;s> NkNy Fwpg;gplg;gl;Ls;s ,Utifahd gzp epakdq;fspYk; epakdk; nra;ag;gLk; fhg;ghsh;/fhg;ghspdpfs; Mrphpah; gjtpf;fhd jFjpiag; ngw;wpUf;f Ntz;Lk; vd;gij cWjp nra;J nfhs;SkhWk;> jkpo;ehL gpw;gLj;Jg;gl;Nlhh; eyj;Jiwapd; rhh;epiyg; gzpfSf;fhd rpw;g;G tpjpfspy; chpa jpUj;jk; Nkw;nfhs;s fUj;JUtpid muRf;F mDg;GkhWk; kpfg; gpw;gLj;Jg;gl;Nlhh; kw;Wk; rPh;kug;gpdh; ey Mizah; Nfl;Lf; nfhs;sg;gLfpwhh;."

5.Paragraph No.5 only calls upon the Commissioner, Directorate of Most Backward Class and Denotified Community Welfare, Chennai to send the necessary amendment proposal for Special Rules for Tamil Nadu Backward Class Welfare Subordinate Services. Pursuant to the said direction, the Commissioner, Directorate of Most Backward Class and Denotified Community Welfare, Chennai vide Letter No.B2/6475/2022, dated 27.06.2023 had addressed the Government for adding certain clauses in the Special Rules. Paragraph No.5 of the government order is beyond cavil.

6.Paragraph No.4 of the government order however reads that the teachers posted as Wardens can function in the said capacity only for a period of three years and that they have to be transferred. During one's service, a person can act as Warden only for a total period of six years. In other words, a ceiling limit has been put in respect of one's posting as Warden.

7.The learned senior counsel draws my attention to the relevant provisions in the Special Rules for the Tamil Nadu Backward Classes and Most Backward Classes Welfare Subordinate Service. The post of Tutor cum Warden / Tutor cum Matron and Wardens / Matrons fall in class-II category 1. The relevant portion of the table annexued to the Special Rules reads as follows:- "CLASSES II TO VI ------------------------ All Categories a. ............ b. Interchangeability of Wardens and Teachers: Transfer between the post specified in each of the following items shall be permissible:

¶1(a) Teachers (men) in Secondary Schools with degree in Teaching (Category-2 Class I) and Tutor-com-Wardens (Category-1, Class-II)

(b) Teachers (women) in Secondary Schools with degree in Teaching (Category-2 (Class I) and Tutor-com-Matrons (Category-1 (Class-II)"

8.When the statutory rules provide that the persons working as teachers and wardens are holding interchangeable posts, it is not open to the Government by an executive instruction to introduce a block period or hold that a teacher cannot be a warden beyond a period of three years at a time.

9.Applying the principle of hierarchy of laws if there is conflict between the statutory rules and the executive instructions, the executive instructions will have to give way.

10.In this view of the matter, Paragraph No.4(ii), (v) and (vi) of the impugned government order alone are set aside. The moment the Special Rules are amended in terms of the proposals now submitted vide letter dated 27.06.2023, it is always open to the Government to re-introduce the clauses that have now been set aside.

11.This writ petition is allowed on these terms. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed.

28.06.2023 NCC : Yes/No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes/ No ias

G.R.SWAMINATHAN, J. ias To:-

1.The Additional Chief Secretary to Government / Backward, Most Backward Class Welfare Department, Chennai – 5.

2.The Commissioner, Backward, Most Backward and Denotified Welfare, Chennai – 5.

3.The Commissioner, Backward, Most Backward Class Welfare Department, Chennai – 5.

28.06.2023 (2/3)

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 28.06.2023 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.R.SWAMINATHAN and W.M.P.(MD)Nos.11895 and 11897 of 2023 1.O.Jeyachandran 2.S.Chinnasamy 3.P.Thanapal 4.R.Balamurugan 5.M.Dhinesh 6.C.Jeyaraman 7.P.Murali Krishna 8.M.Manikandan 9.V.Sivakumar 10.B.Vadivelan 11.R.Alagesan 12.S.Thangarajan 13.M.Velmurugan 14.C.Vinothkumar 15.S.Murugan 16.K.Leema 17.R.Sunanthi 18.P.Jeyarani 19.R.Santhimathavi 29.P.Rajeswari 21.C.T.Kasirajan 22.S.Marthandan 23.S.Subhakar 24.S.Anandhakumar 25.S.Babu 26.P.Dhanalakshmi 27.A.Anandhi 28.K.Sathyendran 29.P.Loganthurai 30.A.Kodiyarasi 31.P.Kumar 32.P.Vannamathi 33.L.Anthoniraj ... Petitioners Vs. 1.The Additional Chief Secretary to Government / Backward, Most Backward Class Welfare Department, Chennai – 5. 2.The Commissioner, Backward, Most Backward and Denotified Welfare, Chennai – 5. 3.The Commissioner, Backward, Most Backward Class Welfare Department, Chennai – 5. ... Respondents Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Certiorari, calling for the records pertaining to the impugned order of the 1st respondent in GOMS.(P)No.49 dated 30.05.2023 of the Backward Class and Most Backward Class Minorities Welfare Department and quash the same. For Petitioner : Mr.B.Saravanan, Senior Counsel, For Mr.S.Ramsundarvijayraj For Respondents : Mr.R.Baskaran, Addl. Advocate General, Assisted by Mr.G.Suriyananth, Addl. Government Pleader.