WP/14556/2026 of M.RAVINDHAR, Vs The Chairman/Returning Officer,

2026:MHC:1479 WP No. 14556 of 2026 __________ Page 1 of 6 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 16-04-2026 CORAM THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S. M. SUBRAMANIAM AND THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE K. SURENDER WP No. 14556 of 2026 AND WMP Nos. 15805 and 15804 OF 2026 M.Ravindhar, S/o Murugan, No.11, Nerkundram Pathai, Vadapalani, Chennai-600 026. ..Petitioner Vs 1. The Chairman/Returning Officer, Teller committee, Madras High court Advocate association, High court buildings, Chennai-600 104. 2. The Vice-Chairman, Teller committee, Madras High court Advocate association, High court buildings, Chennai-600 104. 3. The Secretary, Bar council of Tamilnadu and Puducherry High court buildings, Chennai-600 104. ..Respondents Prayer : Writ Petition under Article 226 of the Con stitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus to call for the records of the https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 14556 of 2026 __________ Page 2 of 6 respondents in connection with the impugned Announcement in Proceeding Nil dated 24.03.2026 and Election Notification dated 06.04.2026 issued by the respondents and quash the same and further direct the responden ts to consider the 30 percent of woman reservation in the Madras high court advocate association election 2026 in light of the Judgment in Logamayas case and grant suc h other further relief as this Honble court may deem fit and proper in the circumstances of the case. For Petitioners : Mr.R.Dhinesh Kumar ORDER (Order of the Court was made by S.M.Subramaniam J.) The present writ petition has been instituted challenging the election notification dated 06.04.2026 issued by the Election C ommittee of the Madras High Court Advocates Association. 2. The petitioner states that he is a member of the Association and the process of election has not been conducted in accord ance with the established procedures and as per the bye-laws. Large number of eligible members are not included in the eligible voters list and their righ t to vote are infringed. Thus, the present writ petition has to be considered. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 14556 of 2026 __________ Page 3 of 6 3. When this Court raised the question of maintainabi lity of a writ petition challenging the election notification issued by the M adras High Court Advocates Association which is not an instrumentality of a ‘State ’ under Article 12 of the Constitution of India, the learned counsel for the pe titioner would submit that, on earlier occasions some writ petitions have been entertained by this Court. 4. The said answer is neither candid nor convincing. Entertaining a writ petition on an earlier occasion would not confer any right to maintain the present writ petition. Since the Madras High Court Advocates Association is a Society registered under the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Soci eties Registration Act and the bye-laws are approved by the Registrar under the provisions of the Act, elections are to be conducted in accordance with the approved bye- laws of the Association. In the event of any dispute, then the remedy is contemp lated under Section 36 of the Societies Registration Act. In respect of election, the remedy would lie before the competent Civil Court. 5. That apart, once the process of election is set in motion, High Court may not entertain a petition to stall the process of elec tion already commenced. In the present case, the process of election has already comm enced on 06.04.2026 and is in progress. That apart, as it is made clear that t he Madras High Court Advocates Association is not a ‘State’ within the meaning of Ar ticle 12 of the Constitution of India, no writ challenging the election is maintainable. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 14556 of 2026 __________ Page 4 of 6 6. For the reasons stated above, the writ petition is l iable to be dismissed and is accordingly dismissed. However, the petitioner is at liberty to approach the competent civil Court in the manner contemplated under law. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed. (S.M.S.,J.) (K.S.,J.) 16-04-2026 Index: Yes Speaking order Neutral Citation: Yes KST https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 14556 of 2026 __________ Page 5 of 6 To 1. The Chairman/Returning Officer, Teller committee, Madras High court advocate association, High court buildings, Chennai-600 104. 2. The Vice-Chairman, Teller committee, Madras High court advocate association, High court buildings, Chennai-600 104. 3. The Secretary, Bar council of Tamilnadu and Puducherry High court buildings, Chennai-600 104. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 14556 of 2026 __________ Page 6 of 6 S.M.SUBRAMANIAM J. AND K.SURENDER J. KST WP No. 14556 of 2026 16-04-2026 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis