The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission to pay ₹10 lakh to a woman from Sivaganga district for the erroneous notification upon which she left her job.
The court was hearing a petition filed by K. Raja Priya who had sought a direction to the State to permit her to continue in the post of Assistant Section officer in the Water Resource Department.
Justice K. Kumaresh Babu took note of the fact that the petitioner was appointed as a Junior Assistant in a private aided-institution approved by the District Educational Officer. Pursuant to the notification issued by TNPSC she had made an application for the post of Assistant Section Officer under the Tamil Nadu Secretariat Service Rules.
The court observed that a perusal of the notification categorically indicates that it had invited applications from eligible candidates for the post of Assistant Section Officer/Assistants in Tamil Nadu Secretariat Services included in Group 5A services from holders of the post of Junior Assistant or Assistant in the Tamil Nadu Ministerial Services/Tamil Nadu Judicial Services.
The Tamil Nadu Secretariat Service Rules indicated that recruitment by transfer to the post can be made only from the category of Assistants either working in the Tamil Nadu Ministerial Services or the Tamil Nadu Judicial Service.
The court observed that the notification issued by TNPSC was in contravention of the Rules as Junior Assistant working in the Tamil Nadu Ministerial Service or Tamil Nadu Ministerial Services were not entitled to be appointed as Assistant Section Officer under the Tamil Nadu Secretariat Service Rules.
TNPSC had issued an erroneous notification inviting applications contrary to the Tamil Nadu Secretariat Service Rules. Even if the petitioner was qualified on the erroneous notification and issued posting orders, she cannot continue in service in violation of the Rules governing the Secretariat Services, the court observed.
The court dismissed the petition. However, considering that the petitioner had also lost her job as a Junior Assistant in a private aided-school for no fault of hers, the court said the petitioner could at least be compensated monetarily for losing the job.
Published – November 29, 2025 08:47 pm IST
