HC directs state to issue directions to all ministries to scrupulously observe prescribed time limits for receipt, consideration and disposal of declarations
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directed the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu and the Secretary, Human Resource Management Department to issue directions to all ministries to scrupulously observe the prescribed time limits for receipt, consideration and disposal of declarations submitted by retired government employees, their family members and the public.
Justice B. Pugalendhi ordered that the existing mechanism to monitor the disposal of the representations should be effectively implemented. If you do not get rid of the agency within the prescribed period without sufficient reason, it should be considered seriously. Appropriate disciplinary action should be taken against the officials responsible.
Article 350 of the Constitution provides that every person has the right to make an application for redressal of any grievance to any officer or authority of the Union or the State in any of the languages used in the Union or the State. The right to make representations to the authorities to redress grievances is a constitutional right, the court said.
The court said that the guidelines issued by the government in the form of government orders, circulars and office manuals prescribing time limits for dealing with such statements are to ensure that the law is meaningfully exercised and that complaints made to the authorities are dealt with within a reasonable time.
The instructions also constitute a fundamental aspect of the duties of civil servants charged with receiving and dealing with such statements. Failure to fulfill this obligation within the stipulated period would amount to a breach of duty and, depending on the circumstances, may constitute misconduct, the court said.
The court said that such continued inaction, despite repeated government directives and judicial interventions, cannot be allowed to become an accepted part of public administration.
The consequence of such avoidable litigation was not limited to the consumption of valuable court time. This also led to avoidable expenses for both the litigant and the state, the court said.
The court was hearing a number of petitions filed by retired civil servants and legal heirs of deceased civil servants seeking family pension, revision of pension benefits and payment of arrears. The court directed the authorities concerned to consider and remove the objections within three months.
Published – 04 Oct 2026 18:29 IST