WP/25845/2022 of N.Mahalingam Vs The Director of Elementary school Education on 17 September 2026

ORDER

The present Writ Petition has been filed seeking issuance of a Writ of Certiorari, calling for the entire records connected with the proceedings of the then District Elementary Educational Officer, now the third respondent herein, in Na.Ka.No.1917/A1/2015, dated 06.02.2017, the order of punishment imposed on the petitioner in Na.Ka.No.1917/AA1/2015, dated 19.04.2017, and the subsequent order of confirmation passed by the second respondent in Na.Ka.No.7946/E3/2018, dated 26.06.2020, and to quash the same.

2. The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that a charge memorandum consisting of six charges was issued to the petitioner on 28.09.2015. At the time of issuing the charge memorandum, only one document, namely, the complaint given by all the employees of the District

Elementary Education Office, dated 19.05.2015, was furnished to the petitioner. Except for the said document, no other documents were supplied to him. However, while arriving at the findings in the enquiry report, the Enquiry Officer and the Disciplinary Authority relied upon certain other documents that were not furnished to the petitioner. In support of his contention, the learned counsel would invite the attention of this Court to the findings rendered in respect of each of the six charges, wherein reliance was placed upon documents other than the document furnished along with the charge memorandum. In particular, the Enquiry Officer and the Disciplinary Authority relied upon newspaper publications, photographs available in the office files, and statements of witnesses.

3. Per contra, the said contention was stoutly opposed by the learned Government Advocate and would submit that the petitioner participated in the agitation conducted by the Tamil Nadu Primary Teachers Federation on 19.05.2015 and was suspended from service with effect from 31.05.2015, which suspension was subsequently revoked on 29.06.2015. He would further submit that six charges were framed against the petitioner under Rule 17(b) of the Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, and, after conducting an enquiry, all six charges were held proved. Consequently, the District Elementary Education Officer imposed the punishment of withholding two increments for two years with cumulative effect, vide order dated 19.04.2017.

The said punishment was confirmed by the Appellate Authority, namely, the Chief Educational Officer, Tiruppur, vide order dated 26.06.2020. Hence, he prayed for dismissal of the present Writ Petition.

4. I have given my anxious consideration to either side submissions.

5. In order to appreciate the contention regarding the non-furnishing of documents, this Court deems it appropriate to extract the findings rendered in respect of Charge No.4, which read as follows:- "

குற்றச்சாட்டு- 4 அலுவலகப் பணியாளர்களை தம் கடமைகளை செய்யும் நாளில்

இடை யூறாக

செயல்பட்டதாக

குற்றம் சுமத்தப்படுகிறது.

குற்றம்சாட்டப்பட்டவரின்தன்னிலை விளக்கம் அலுவலகப் பணியாளரின் அலுவலகப்பணிக்கு 19.05.2015 அன்று எந்த இடை யூறும் நிகழவில்லை நான் அவர்களுடன் பேசவில்லை , இடை யூறும் தரவில்லை .

குற்றச்சாட்டு

க்கு விசாரணை அலுவலரின் கண்டுபிடிப்புகள் அலுவலகப் பணியாளர்களை தம் கடமைகளை செய்யும் நாளில்

இடை யூறாக

செயல்பட்டதாக

குற்றம் சுமத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. குற்றம் சாட்டப்பட்டவர் தன்னுடை ய தன்னிலை

விளக்கத்தில்

அலுவலகப்பணியாளரின் அலுவலகப் பணிக்கு 19.05.2015 அன்று எந்த இடை யூறும் நிகழவில்லை

நான்

அவர்களுடன்

பேசவில்லை , இடை யூறும் தரவில்லை எனக் கூறியுள்ளார். ஆனால் செய்தித்தாள்களில் வெ ளியான புகைப்படங்களை யும், அலுவலக கோ ப்புகளில் உள்ள புகைப்படங்கள் மற்றும் அலுவலக

பணியாளர்களின்

சாட்சியங்களின் அடிப்படை யில் பார்க்கும் போ து 19.05.2015 அன்று பல ஆசிரியர்கள் மாவட்டத் தொ டக்கக் கல்வி அலுவலரின்

அறையிலும் அலுவலக பணியாளர்களின் அறையிலும் அமர்ந்திருப்பது தெளிவாக புலனாகிறது. மேலும் தங்களை

சுற்றி ஆசிரியர்கள் அமர்ந்து கோ ஷமிட்டபோ து அன்றைய அலுவலக பணியினை சரிவர செய்ய இயலவில்லை என அலுவலக

பணியாளர்கள்

எழுத்துப்பூர்வமாக விளக்கமளித்துள்ளனர். எனவே அலுவலக நேரத்தில் அலுவலகத்தில்

பணிபுரியும்

பணியாளர்களுக்கு கவனச்சிதறல் ஏற்படும் வகையில் போ ராட்டத்தில் கலந்து கொ ண்ட

ஆசிரியர்கள்

செயல்பட்டது

தெளிவாக புலனாகிறது.

(அலுவலக

பணியாளர்களின் எழுத்துப்பூர்வமான விளக்கம் இணை க்கப்பட்டுள்ளது).”

5. From the aforesaid findings, it is seen that, while considering the explanation submitted by the petitioner claiming innocence, the Disciplinary Authority has stated that, notwithstanding his explanation, sufficient proof was available in the form of photographs found in the office files and photographs published in the newspapers. It has also been stated that several witnesses had submitted written complaints to the Department.

6. However, on a perusal of the charge memorandum, it is seen that, except for the complaint dated 20.05.2015, described as the complaint submitted by all the employees, no other documents were furnished to the petitioner. In particular, the photographs and newspaper publications relied upon by the Enquiry Officer and the Disciplinary Authority were not supplied to the petitioner. Therefore, it is apparent that the principles of natural justice have not been followed by the Enquiry Officer and the Disciplinary Authority before arriving at the impugned findings.

7. In view of the aforesaid procedural lapses on the part of the respondents, this Court finds sufficient reason to interfere with the impugned orders, which are accordingly set aside. The respondents are directed to conduct a de novo enquiry from the stage of issuance of a fresh charge memorandum, after furnishing all the documents upon which they propose to rely, and complete the enquiry within a period of twelve weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

8. In the result, this Writ Petition is allowed as indicated above. Consequently, the connected Miscellaneous Petition is closed. No costs. 17-09-2026 Index: Yes Speaking order Neutral Citation: Yes KV To

1. The Director of Elementary School Education, Directorate of Tamil Nadu Primary School Education, DPI Complex, College Road, Chennai - 600 006.

2. The Chief Educational Officer, O/o. Chief Educational Office, Tiruppur - 641 604.

3. The District Education Officer, Udumalai Pettai Educational District, Udumalai Pettai, Tiruppur District - 642 126.

4. The Block Educational Officer, O/o. Block Educational Office, Somavara Patti, Gudimangalam Union, Tiruppur District - 642 205.

5. The Head Master, Panchayat Union Middle School, Murunga Pettai, Kottamangalam Village, Udumalai Pettai Taluk, Tiruppur District - 642 201.

C.KUMARAPPAN J. KV WP No. 25845 of 2022 17-09-2026