W.P.No.36040 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED : 18.09.2025 CORAM : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE M. DHANDAPANI W.P.No.36040 of 2025 and W.M.P.No.40286 of 2025 Gyanodhaya School, Represented by its Founder Trustee, Padma Venkataraman, D/o.R.Venkataraman, 5/57 (Old No.5/18A), Enclave, Annai Murugammal Avenue, Neelangarai, Chennai – 600 115. ... Petitioner Vs. 1.District Collector, Grand Southern Trunk Road, Chengalpattu, Venbakkam, Tamil Nadu – 603 001. 2.The State of Tamil Nadu, Through the Chief Secretary, Secretariat, Fort St. George – 600 009. 3.The Secretary, Department of School Education, Fort St. George, Chennai – 600 009. ... Respondents Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of Writ of Mandamus, directing the 1st respondent to permit the petitioner to continue functioning of the petitioner's hostels based on the representation dated 12.09.2025. Page No.1 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.36040 of 2025 For Petitioner : Mr.R.Prabhakaran For Respondents : Mrs.S.Anitha Special Government Pleader ***** ORDER This Writ Petition has been filed by the petitioner seeking for a Writ of Mandamus, to direct the 1st respondent to permit the petitioner to continue functioning of the petitioner's hostels based on the representation dated 12.09.2025. 2. Mrs.S.Anitha, learned Special Government Pleader, accepts notice on behalf of the respondents. With the consent of the learned counsel appearing for the parties, this Writ Petition is taken up for final disposal at the stage of admission itself. 3. The case of the petitioner is that he is the Founder Trustee of Gyanodhaya School, established under the Gyanodhaya Rehabilitation Association. The school was founded in the year 2007 with primary objective of educating and rehabilitating children affected by leprosy, including children of leprosy-affected parents. The 1st respondent had unilaterally and arbitrarily transferred all the children residing in the Page No.2 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.36040 of 2025 hostels to a Government Hostel, disrupting their education and care, all of which was done upon certain allegations of harassment between two students from the petitioner's school, which had occurred outside the petitioner's school premises. The petitioner was denied the peaceful continuance of the hostel functioning wherein the petitioner was required to obtain permit for running hostels. As per the Tamil Nadu Hostels and Homes for Women and Children (Regulation) Act, 2014, the petitioner's hostel falls within the ambit of Section 3, thereby exempting the petitioner's hostel from the same. In view of the frequent disturbance, the petitioner made a representation dated 12.09.2025 before the 1st respondent for recognition of hostel building to continue the operation of the hostel. Since the same was not considered, the petitioner has filed this writ petition before this Court for appropriate orders. 4. Though very many grounds have been raised in this writ petition, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that, it would suffice, if this Court issues a direction to the 1st respondent to consider the petitioner's representation dated 12.09.2025 and dispose of the same in accordance with law, within a time frame that may be fixed by this Court. Page No.3 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.36040 of 2025 5. In view of the limited request sought for by the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner, this Court, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, directs the 1st respondent to consider the petitioner's representation dated 12.09.2025, on merits and in accordance with law and pass appropriate orders, within a period of six (6) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order, after affording an opportunity of personal hearing to the petitioner and aggrieved person, if any. 6. With the above direction, this Writ Petition is disposed of. No costs. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petition is closed. 18.09.2025 Index : Yes / No Speaking order / Non-speaking order Neutral Citation Case : Yes/No sp Page No.4 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.36040 of 2025 To 1.The District Collector, Grand Southern Trunk Road, Chengalpattu, Venbakkam, Tamil Nadu – 603 001. 2.The Chief Secretary, State of Tamil Nadu, Secretariat, Fort St. George, Chennai – 600 009. 3.The Secretary, Department of School Education, Fort St. George, Chennai – 600 009. Page No.5 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.36040 of 2025 M.DHANDAPANI, J. sp W.P.No.36040 of 2025 18.09.2025 Page No.6 of 6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis