S.Rajkumar,S/O.Late Chella v. The Executive Engineer

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 30.06.2026 CORAM: THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI W.P.(MD)No.3635 of 2018:

1.S.Raj Kumar

2.K.Natarajan

3.Kumar

4.K.Moorthy

5.D.Sami Kannu

6.Louis Mary

7.Palanisamy

8.K.Durai

9.A.Jayakumar

10.Vairakannu

11.R.Ravi

12.M.Selvaraj

13.K.Palanimuthu

14.T.Chandran

15.S.Lakshmanan

... Petitioners -vs-

1.The Executive Engineer, Distribution Corporation Limited, Keeranur, Pudukkottai District.

2.The Assistant Executive Engineer, Distribution Corporation Limited, Mathur, Pudukkottai District.

3.The Junior Engineer, Distribution Corporation Limited, Thondaimannallur, Pudukkottai District.

4.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Illupur, Pudukkottai District.

5.The Tahsildarr, Kulathur Taluk, Pudukkottai District.

6.The Village Administrative Officer, Lakshmanpatti Village, Pudukkottai District.

... Respondents PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 1 to 3 herein to take necessary steps to provide free electricity connection to petitioners within the stipulated period. For Petitioner : Mr.M.Jothibasu For Respondents 1 to 3 : Mr.S.Deenadhayalan, Standing Counsel For Respondents 4 to 6 : Mr.M.Mahaboob Athiff Counsel for the State of Tamil Nadu W.P.(MD)No.3636 of 2018:

1.A.Muthu Karuppan

2.C.Murugesan

3.M.Murugesan

4.Alagar

5.A.Singammal

6.Rathinam

7.P.Murugesan

... Petitioners -vs-

1.The Executive Engineer, Distribution Corporation Limited, Keeranur, Pudukkottai District.

2.The Assistant Executive Engineer, Distribution Corporation Limited, Mathur, Pudukkottai District.

3.The Junior Engineer, Distribution Corporation Limited, Thondaimannallur, Pudukkottai District.

4.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Illupur, Pudukkottai District.

5.The Tahsildarr, Kulathur Taluk, Pudukkottai District.

6.The Village Administrative Officer, Lakshmanpatti Village, Pudukkottai District.

... Respondents PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 1 to 3 herein to take necessary steps to provide free electricity connection to petitioners within the stipulated period. For Petitioner : Mr.M.Jothibasu For Respondents 1 to 3 : Mr.S.Deenadhayalan, Standing Counsel For Respondents 4 to 6 : Mr.M.Mahaboob Athiff Counsel for the State of Tamil Nadu COMMON ORDER The present Writ Petitions have been filed seeking a direction to the respondents 1 to 3 herein to take necessary steps to provide free electricity connection to petitioners.

2.Learned Counsel for the petitioners would submit that the petitioners are the occupants of agricultural lands and they made applications before the respondents 1 to 3 for free electricity connection. However, the same was not considered. Hence, the present Writ Petitions came to be filed. Learned Counsel prays that this Court may issue a direction to the respondents 1 to 3 to provide electricity connection within a stipulated time.

3.Per contra, learned Standing Counsel appearing for the Electricity Board would submit that the petitioners are in occupation of a Trust property and no title deeds have been produced before the authority concerned. Further, their applications would expire within a period of five years, within which period, they have to make extension applications. However, the petitioners have not made extension applications and hence, the earlier applications automatically expired. Further, there is a property dispute between the petitioner and the Trust. Unless the same is resolved before the competent Civil Court, the respondents 1 to 3, cannot extend free electricity connection. Accordingly, he prays for dismissal of these Writ Petitions.

4.Heard the learned Counsel on either side.

5.It is submitted that the properties belong to a Trust and that there is a dispute between the petitioners and Trust. Unless the said property dispute is resolved before the competent Civil Court, the petitioners' request cannot be granted by this Court. Further, the petitioners have made applications to the respondents 1 to 3 long back and by now, those applications would have lapsed. The petitioners have also not made any extension applications before the respondents 1 to 3.

6.In view of the above, these Writ Petitions are dismissed. However, liberty is granted to the petitioners to work out their remedy before the competent Civil Court in the manner known to law. There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petition is closed.

30.06.2026 NCC : Index : Internet:

MR To

1.The Executive Engineer, Distribution Corporation Limited, Keeranur, Pudukkottai District.

2.The Assistant Executive Engineer, Distribution Corporation Limited, Mathur, Pudukkottai District.

3.The Junior Engineer, Distribution Corporation Limited, Thondaimannallur, Pudukkottai District.

4.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Illupur, Pudukkottai District.

5.The Tahsildarr, Kulathur Taluk, Pudukkottai District.

6.The Village Administrative Officer, Lakshmanpatti Village, Pudukkottai District. M.DHANDAPANI,,J. MR W.P.(MD)Nos.3635,&,3636,of,2018

30.06.2026