Justice Battu Devanand posed the question to Muruganandam and his predecessor Shiv Das Meena, who appeared in person before the court following statutory notices to them in connection with a suo motu contempt case.
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When a chief secretary does not comply with the orders of a court of law within the stipulated time, how will officers serving under him obey judicial directives, the Madras High Court posed the question to incumbent Chief Secretary N Muruganandam, in a contempt case on Monday.
Justice Battu Devanand posed the question to Muruganandam and his predecessor Shiv Das Meena, who appeared in person before the court following statutory notices to them in connection with a suo motu contempt case.
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The incumbent would not have faced contempt proceedings had his predecessor complied with the court order passed on September 19, 2023, the Judge observed. Meena is now serving as Chairperson of Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TNRERA).
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Pointing out that Muruganandam had assumed charge only on August 19, 2024, the Judge said, “He might not have come to know about the 2023 order until the present suo motu contempt proceedings were initiated against both the officers in June 2025.”
Questioning why Meena had failed to take steps to implement the order till he was in office, the court, however, expressed satisfaction with the steps taken by Muruganandam to implement the court order, pursuant to the contempt proceedings.
Justice Devanand also recalled how he had, two years ago, recorded the Court’s appreciation of Meena for issuing a circular instructing all officials to comply with the court orders in letter and spirit, within the stipulated time.
“Now, the same officer is standing before the court for not implementing his own circular,” the Judge noted, but closed the contempt proceedings after accepting the unconditional apology of the two officers and the steps taken by Muruganandam to implement the 2023 order.
The case stems from the 2023 order of the Court, directing the Chief Secretary to constitute an expert committee for recommending necessary amendments to remove the various infirmities in the provisions contained in the Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Appointment on Compassionate Grounds) Rules 2023.
The committee was also tasked with fixing a time frame for extending employment on compassionate grounds to dependants of government employees who died in harness, and examine the possibility of having a district-wise list of dependants for such employment. An action taken report was to be submitted by the Chief Secretary within three months.
When the Judge, in June 2025, found that the 2023 direction had not been complied with, the suo motu contempt proceedings were initiated against the Chief secretary and his predecessor. Recording the submission of Muruganandam on the constitution of the committee along with the minutes of its meeting, the Judge closed the contempt proceedings with a direction to submit the amended statutory rules to the court within two weeks.
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