W.P.(MD)No.22555 of 2022 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED :20.11.2025 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE SENTHILKUMAR RAMAMOORTHY W.P.(MD)No.22555 of 2022 and WMP (MD) No.16729 of 2025 N.Kanagasundari ... Petitioner Vs. 1. The Tamil Nadu Information Commissioner, O/o. the Tamil Nadu Information Commission, Block No.19, Government Farm Village, Nandhanam, Chennai 600 035. 2. Sundarraj ... Respondents PRAYER : Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of Writ of Certiorari, or any other writ or order or direction in the nature of Writ, to call for the records relating to the impugned order passed by the 1st respondent vide Vazhaku En. NC 248/Visaranai/E/2021 and SA 4458/E/2020 dated 02.06.2022 and quash the same. For Petitioner : Mr.D.Shanmugaraja Sethupathi For Respondents :Mr.Ananth C.Rajesh for R1 No appearance for R2 1/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.(MD)No.22555 of 2022 O R D E R The petitioner was working as the Deputy Registrar/Personnel Officer in the Office of the Joint Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Kanyakumari Region, at the time of filing of the writ petition. An application was filed on 01.02.2020 by the second respondent seeking information relating to a loan availed of by him from the Primary Cooperative Society and details of subsidies being offered in relation to fertilizers. Information was provided to the second respondent on 02.03.2020 in response to his request. Being dissatisfied, the second respondent filed an appeal on 09.03.2020. Further information was provided to him on 02.09.2020. Eventually, order dated 30.11.2020 was issued by the first respondent directing the Public Information Officer to provide complete information to the six questions raised by the second respondent within 30 days. Pursuant thereto, the receipts requested for by the second respondent were provided on 05.12.2020 and detailed response was sent on 07.12.2020. 2. On the ground that the second respondent had not received complete and correct information, he escalated the matter to the first 2/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.(MD)No.22555 of 2022 respondent. The first respondent passed impugned order dated 02.06.2022. 3. Learned counsel for the petitioner invited my attention to communication dated 05.12.2020 to point out that the receipts requested for by the petitioner had been provided to him earlier and were, in any case, enclosed with such letter. He also referred to communication dated 07.12.2020 from the petitioner to the second respondent providing responses to the six issues raised by him. In those circumstances, learned counsel submits that the impugned order is completely unjustified. 4. Upon service of notice, the second respondent entered appearance through M/s.Titus. Learned counsel for the second respondent was not present at the hearings on 27.10.2025 and 04.11.2025. He is also not present today. Therefore, the matter is proceeded with in his absence. 5. Learned counsel for the first respondent submitted that the appellant, i.e. the second respondent herein, did not appear before the first respondent in the inquiry. He also submits that the petitioner did not 3/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.(MD)No.22555 of 2022 cooperate in the inquiry by providing necessary details and, therefore, the first respondent was constrained to decide the matter based on available records. 6. The operative paragraph of the impugned order is extracted hereunder: "4. ,d;iwa tprhuizapy; Nky;KiwaPl;lhsu; M[uhfhj epiyapy;> nghJj; jfty; mYtyuhy; Mizaj;jpd; Kd;G jhf;fy; nra;j Mtzq;fisg; guprPyid nra;ifapy;> Nky;KiwaPl;lhsUf;F KOikahd toq;fg;gltpy;iynad;W Mizak; jPu;khdpj;J. tprhuizapd; fPo;f;fz;l cj;jpuT gpwg;gpf;fg;gLfpd;wJ: jfty; Kbtpy; 1. jfty; ngWk; cupikr; rl;lk;. 2005 rl;lg;gpupT 18(3)(b)-d;gb fd;dpahFkup khtl;lk; ,izg;gjpthsu;> $l;LwT rq;fq;fspd; ,izg;gjpthsu; mYTyfk;> ehfu;Nfhtpy; / Kjy; Nky;KiwaPl;L mYtyu; mtu;fs;> Nky;KiwaPl;lhsuJ 01.02.2020 Njjpapl;l rl;lg;gpupT 6(1) kDtpy; NfhupAs;s jfty;fs; njhlu;ghf> Nky;KiwaPl;lhsu; k;w;Wk; Kd;dhs;/,e;ehs; nghJj; jfty; mYtyu;fis> tprhuiz nra;Jk;> Mtzq;fis guprPypj;Jk; Nky;KiwaPl;lhsu; Nfhupa jfty;fspid 30 jpdq;fSf;Fs; toq;FkhW cj;jutplg;gLfpwJ. NkYk;> 4/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.(MD)No.22555 of 2022 Mizaj;jpd; 30.11.2020 Njjpapl;l cj;jutpd;gb jftiy toq;fhj Kd;dhs; nghJj; jfty; mYtyuplkpUe;J rl;lg;gpupT 20(1) kw;Wk; 20(2)-d; fPo; Vd; eltbf;if Nkw;nfhs;sf;$lhJ vd;gjw;fhd vOj;J%ykhd tpsf;fj;ij ngw;Wk;> mtu; kPJ Jiwthupahd eltbf;if Nkw;nfhz;Lk;. Nkw;Fwpj;j tpguq;fs; cs;slf;fpa xU tpupthd mwpf;ifia ,t;thiz fpilf;fg; ngw;w 45 jpdq;fSf;Fs; ,t;thizaj;jpw;F mDg;gp itf;FkhW fd;dpahFkup khtl;lk;. ,izg;gjpthsu;> $l;LwT rq;fq;fspd; ,izg;gjpthsu; mYtyfk;> ehfu;Nfhtpy; I Kjy; Nky;KiwaPl;L mYtyu; mtu;fSf;F ,t;thizak; cj;jutpLfpwJ. 2. NkYk;> Nky;KiwaPl;lhsUf;F cupa fhyj;jpy; Kiwahd jftiy toq;fhJ> Nky;KiwaPl;lhsiu miyf;fopg;G nra;jjw;fhf> ,og;gPlhfj; jfty; ngWk; cupikr; rl;lk;> 2005> gpupT 19(8)(b)-d;fPo; &.3>000/- (&gha; %thapuk; kl;Lk;)-I nghJ mjpfhu mikg;G Nky;KiwaPl;lhsUf;F toq;FkhW nghJj; jfty; mYtyUf;F cj;jputplg;gLfpd;wJ." 7. As is evident from the above extract, the first respondent has drawn the conclusion that the petitioner did not provide complete information. The order records that this conclusion was drawn on the 5/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.(MD)No.22555 of 2022 basis of documents submitted by the petitioner before the first respondent. Nothing further is stated in the order. In particular, there is no discussion with regard to the information/documents requested for by the second respondent, the information/documents provided by the petitioner and the reasons for concluding that such information/documents are incomplete. In the absence of reasons in support of the conclusion, the conclusion cannot be sustained. Therefore, the impugned order is set aside. The writ petition is disposed of on these terms. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed. 20.11.2025 NCC :No Internet :Yes Index :No PKN 6/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.(MD)No.22555 of 2022 To The Tamil Nadu Information Commissioner, O/o. the Tamil Nadu Information Commission, Block No.19, Government Farm Village, Nandhanam, Chennai 600 035. 7/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.(MD)No.22555 of 2022 SENTHILKUMAR RAMAMOORTHY, J. PKN W.P.(MD)No.22555 of 2022 20.11.2025 8/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis