K.Chandrasekaran Vs State of Tamilnadu (Madras High Court)
Madras High Court has deemed the non-consideration of a Deputy Commissioner’s promotion representation as dereliction of duty. The court directs prompt review for K. Chandrasekaran, a top-ranked official, citing concerns over juniors being promoted instead.
The Madras High Court on Thursday, July 10, 2025, criticized the non-consideration of a representation from a Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes seeking promotion to Joint Commissioner, deeming it a “dereliction of duty.” The court directed the second respondent to consider the representation within one month.
The case involves K. Chandrasekaran, currently a Deputy Commissioner (State Taxes) in Thoothukudi. Chandrasekaran, whose seniority rank is number one in the revised list of Assistant Commissioners (Commercial Taxes) based on Group-I examination scores, challenged a government order dated December 27, 2023. This order promoted his juniors to Joint Commissioner while overlooking his promotion.
Chandrasekaran began his career as a Junior Assistant in the Commercial Tax Department in 1999, subsequently moving through various promotions, including Senior Inspector of Cooperative Department and Sub Registrar, before joining as Assistant Commissioner (Commercial Taxes) in 2009.
His counsel informed the court that despite his top rank and the absence of any disciplinary proceedings or criminal cases against him, he was not promoted. While the petitioner initially sought a broader relief, the counsel confined the immediate prayer to seeking a proper disposal of his representation dated December 28, 2023.
