1 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 3/8/2011 C O R A M THE HONOURABLE Mr. JUSTICE S.MANIKUMAR Writ Petition (MD)Nos.8574 and 8576 of 2011 P.Patrick Raymond ...Petitioner in W.P.(MD) No.8574/2011 a n d N. Raghavan ...Petitioner in W.P.(MD) No.8576/2011 Vs 1. The State of Tamil Nadu, through Secretary Education Department, Fort St. George, Chennai. 2. The Director of Elementary Education DPI Complex, College Road, Chennai. 3. The District Elementary Education Officer Palani Road Dindigul District. ...1 to 3 respondents in both the petitions 4. The Assistant Elementary Education Officer Vedasendur, Dindigul District. ...Fourth respondent in 8574 of 2011 The Assistant Elementary Education Officer Reddiarchatram, Dindigul District. ...Fourth respondent in 8576 of 2011 Prayer: Petitions filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for the issuance of writs of declaration declaring that the continued application of G.O.Ms.No.166 School Education dated 7/6/1999 for the preparation of seniority list for the post of Middle School Headmaster by giving priority to Primary School Headmasters merely on the length of their service in that category without considering the date of acquiring B.T.Assistant qualification as violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India in view of the changed situation of direct recruitment of B.T.Assistants to Middle School and their regularization and the subsequent Government orders passed and decision of the Statement Government to only appoint B.T.Assistants as teachers in Middle School either by direct recruitment or by promotion and consequently direct the State of Tamil Nadu to prepare seniority lists for the post of Middle School Headmasters on the basis of the persons in the feeder category acquiring B.T.Assistant qualification. For Petitioners : Mr.H.Lakshmishankar For Respondents : Mr.S.Chandrasekar, GA https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 2 C O M M O N O R D E R Though the writ petitioners have raised other grounds challenging G.O.Ms.No.166 School Education dated 7/6/1999, this Court is not inclined to entertain the same, as there is inordinate laches on the part of the writ petitioners i.e., twelve years. Entertaining the writ petitions would unsettle the seniority and the promotions made for more than a decade. Needless to say that settled seniority cannot be permitted to be unsettled, after a long number of years. Accordingly, these writ petitions are dismissed. No costs. SD ASST REGISTRAR ( P AND A ) /TRUE COPY/ SUB ASST REGISTRAR mvs. To 1.The Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu Education Department, Fort St. George, Chennai. 2.The Director of Elementary Education DPI Complex, College Road, Chennai. 3.The District Elementary Education Officer Palani Road, Dindigul District. 4.The Assistant Elementary Education Officer Vedasendur, Dindigul District. 5.The Assistant Elementary Education Officer Reddiarchatram, Dindigul District. 1CC TO THE SPL. GOVT PLEADER SR: 25912: DM:2011:AUGUST:05:: W.P.(MD) Nos. 8574 and 8576 of 2011 2P:7C:: https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/