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Madras High Court· 24 July 2026

Under Rule 27(17) of the Fundamental Rules of Tamil Nadu Government, does the Rule apply only to seniority-restoration cases, or also where promotion was denied due to pendency of disciplinary proceedings?

M.Govindarajan v. 1. The State of Tamil Nadu Represented by its Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Highways and Minor Ports (H.K.1) Department, Secretariat, Chennai – 9
W.P.No.10004 of 2020 · W.P.No.10004 of 2020
Coram: T. Vinod Kumar
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Answer

Rule 27(17), read with its two provisos, covers not only cases of restoration of seniority on appeal but also cases where a Government servant's name was excluded or deferred for the promotion panel due to pendency of charges; it therefore applies to a case where promotion was denied on account of disciplinary proceedings, not merely wrong seniority fixation.

Headnote

Fundamental Rules of Tamil Nadu Government — Rule 27(17) — Notional promotion — Arrears of salary on exoneration in disciplinary proceedings — Fundamental Rules, Tamil Nadu — Rule 27(17) — Scope — Whether limited to seniority-restoration cases — Held: Rule 27(17), read with its two provisos, covers not only cases where a Government servant's seniority is restored on appeal but also cases where his name is excluded or deferred for the promotion panel due to pendency of disciplinary charges; the petitioner's exclusion from the panel on account of pendency of proceedings under Rule 17(b) of the Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules 1955 falls squarely within the Sub-Rule. (¶17, 18, 19) Fundamental Rules, Tamil Nadu — Rule 27(17) — Arrears of salary — Exoneration on merits versus on technicalities — Held further: Payment of arrears of salary consequent on notional promotion is not automatic upon disciplinary proceedings being set aside, but depends on whether the proceedings ended in the delinquent's favour on merits or merely on technicalities; only exoneration on merits justifies a claim for arrears, and closure on technicalities does not entitle the employee to arrears. (¶20, 22) Fundamental Rules, Tamil Nadu — Rule 27(17) — Assumption of charge — Risk and responsibility attached to the post — Held further: Arrears of salary attached to a post are payable only to one who has held that post and borne its risks and responsibilities; the petitioner, having been only notionally promoted and never having assumed charge or discharged duties in the promotional post, cannot claim the monetary benefits of that post while retaining only its pensionary benefit. (¶21, 24, 29) Fundamental Rules of Tamil Nadu Government — Rule 27(17) — Notional promotion — Delayed and unprotested claim after retirement — Held further: The petitioner's disciplinary proceedings having been set aside twice on technicalities and not on merits, and the petitioner having accepted retiral benefits without protest and raised the claim for arrears only two years after retirement, the challenge to the impugned order denying arrears is devoid of merits. Writ petition dismissed. (¶22, 31, 32, 33)

In the Court's own words
Paragraph 18In the facts of the present case, though it is contended by the petitioner that the use of the word ‘appeal’, in Sub Rule (17) is to be understood in the context where an employees seniority is fixed wrongly initially, and the seniority of the said employee being restored on being appealed and thus, the said Sub Rule has no application where promotion was denied on account of initiation/pendency of disciplinary proceedings, a reading of the Sub-Rule (17) in its entirety including the two provisos which were inserted vide G.O.Ms.No.120 dated 06.07.2001 w.e.f. 30.10.2000, would make it clear that the Sub-Rule (17) not only covers the cases of exclusion of Government servant while preparing and issuing the seniority list and such seniority being restored on appeal but would also cover the cases were name of the Government servant is excluded or deferred for being included in the panel for promotion due to pendency of charges.
Paragraph 19Admittedly, the petitioner's name was not included in the panel for promotion to the post of Assistant Divisional Engineer and Divisional Engineer on account of pendency of disciplinary proceedings initiated against him under Rule 17(b) of the Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal ) Rules 1955. Thus, the contention of the petitioner that Rule 27(17) does not apply to the case of the petitioner being one of disciplinary proceedings, does not appeal to this Court for being accepted.
Acts & Sections
Rule 27(17) Fundamental Rules of Tamil Nadu GovernmentRule 17(b) Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1955Rule 54(1)(a) West Bengal Service Rules

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Also decided in this judgment
Is arrears of salary for a notionally promoted post payable automatically once disciplinary proceedings are set aside, or does it depend on whether exoneration was on merits or on technicalities?Can an employee who is notionally promoted claim arrears of salary for the promotional post without having assumed charge and discharged its duties?
Plain-language answer prepared by the LexStreak Editorial Desk — verify against the judgment. Source: Madras High Court. Corrections