WA/651/2026 of ASSISTANT ENGINEER II Vs S P Spinning Mills Private Limited

WA No.651 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 06.04.2026 CORAM THE HON'BLE MR.SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE G. ARUL MURUGAN WA No.651 of 2026 1.The Assistant Engineer II Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Transmission Line Construction Tantransco/ TNEB, Salem 636 014 2.The Executive Engineer The Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Transmission Line Construction Tantransco/TNEB, Salem 636 014 3.The Chairman Tantransco, 10th Floor, NPKRP Maaljgai No.144, Anna Salai, Chennai -600 02 : Appellants Vs 1.S.P.Spinning Mills Private Limited Through Its Managing Director P.Kanakarajan No.3/233, Cuddalore Main Road Karipatti Salem 636 106 2.The District Collector, Salem District 3.The state of Tamil Nadu Rep. by its Principal Secretary to Govt. Dept of Energy, Secretariat, Chennai -600 009 : Respondents Page 1 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WA No.651 of 2026 Prayer: Appeal filed to set aside the order passed by the learned Single Judge, dated 13.11.2025 in W.P.No.2177 of 2024. For Appellants : Mr.Arun Kumar, D.R. For Respondents : Ms.K.Priya, for the first respondent Mrs.E.Ranganayaki, Additional Government Pleader, for respondents 2 and 3 JUDGMENT (Judgment of the Court was delivered by the Hon'ble Chief Justice) This writ appeal, filed under Clause 15 of the Letters P atent, assails the order dated 13.11.2025 in WP No.2177 of 202 4, whereby the learned Single Judge has disposed of the writ petition directing the third appellant to initiate appropriate proceedings against the second appellant in respect of the impugned order dated 19.0 5.2022 passed by the second appellant and to decide the first respondent’s entitlement to compensation, within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of the order. The third appe llant herein was further directed to initiate appropriate action against t he officer who passed the impugned order, after affording an opportu nity of hearing and pass necessary orders. Page 2 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WA No.651 of 2026 2. Learned counsel for the appellants submitted that the direction to initiate appropriate action against the officer concerned is totally misconceived since the calculation was made strictly in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Agriculture D epartment, which was available on the records, for fixing compensat ion. Learned counsel for the appellants further submitted that the appellants are not aggrieved by the direction to re-work the compens ation but are aggrieved only by observations made in the impugned ord er to initiate appropriate action against the second appellant. Learned counsel for the appellants restricts his prayer to this extent only. 3. Learned counsel for the appellants further submitt ed that as per G.O.Ms.No.86, Energy (A1) Department, dated 30.10. 2019, the maximum compensation for yielding coconut trees may be f ixed not more than Rs.36,450/- per tree. However, the learned Single Judge, without correctly coming to the conclusion with regard to the age of the tree, directed the appellants to make maximum payment per tree. 4. Learned counsel for the first respondent has no o bjection if the writ appeal is disposed of expunging the directions to initiate Page 3 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WA No.651 of 2026 proceedings and to reconsider compensation in accordan ce with the provisions. 5. Having heard the learned counsel for the parties an d perused the records, we find that the learned Single Judge, while relegating the appellants to reconsider the compensation, could not have arrived at a finding that the first respondent was eligible for maximum compensation, and ought to have left it open for the a uthorities to reconsider the fixation of compensation in accordance w ith law. Since the compensation was calculated as per the existing guid elines and G.O.Ms.No.86, Energy (A1) Department, dated 30.10.2019 , there was no occasion for the learned Single Judge to direct initiation of appropriate action against the officer who passed the impugned order. 6. We find force in the submissions of the learned counsel for the appellants. Accordingly, the order of the learned Single Judge dated 13.11.2025 in WP No.2177 of 2024 is set aside. The matter is remitted back to the second appellant to reconsider the award of compensation, on merits, after giving due opportunity of hearing to the first respondent, as expeditiously as possible, preferably with in a period of Page 4 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WA No.651 of 2026 six weeks from today, and pass a reasoned and speaking order. 7. This writ appeal is allowed to the extent indicated hereinabove. There will be no order as to costs. Conseq uently, CMP No.6215 of 2026 is closed. (SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI, CJ.) (G. ARUL MURUGAN, J.) 06.04.2026 Index : Yes/No Neutral Citation : Yes/No tar To 1.The Assistant Engineer II Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Transmission Line Construction Tantransco/ TNEB, Salem 636 014 2.The Executive Engineer The Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Transmission Line Construction Tantransco/ TNEB, Salem 636 014 3.The Chairman Tantransco, 10th Floor NPKRP Maaljgai No.144, Anna Salai, Chennai -600 02 4.The District Collector, Salem District 5.The Principal Secretary to Govt. Dept of Energy, Secretariat, Chennai -600 009 Page 5 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WA No.651 of 2026 THE HON'BLE CHIEF JUSTICE AND G. ARUL MURUGAN , J. (tar) WA No.651 of 2026 06.04.2026 Page 6 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis