WP No. 39518 of 2025 __________ Page1 of 5 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 22-07-2026 CORAM THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE HEMANT CHANDANGOUDAR WP No. 39518 of 2025 and WMP No.30459 of 2026 N.Natarajan ..Petitioner(s) Vs The Commissioner Kanchipuram City Municipal Corporation, Kanchipuram ..Respondent(s) Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking a writ of mandamus directing the respondent to consider the e-mail representations of the petitioner dated 18.12.2014, 26.09.2016, 27.11.2017, 14.12.2017, 21.05.2018, 07.10.2020, 08.02.2022, 26.10.2022, 05.12.2022, 23.12.2022, 06.01.2023, 03.11.2023, 30.05.2024, 27.02.2025, 22.04.2025, 28.04.2025, 11.07.2025 and 19.09.2025 and return the security deposits made by the petitioner namely EMD, FSD, ASD amount totally to the tune of Rs.41,52,446/- to the petitioner in pursuant to the work orders issued by the respondent in 1.Na.Ka.No.509/2011/E1 dated 01.11.2012, 2.Na.Ka.No.8566/2013/E1 dated 28.01.2015 3.ROC.No.E1/60509/2016/E1 dated 07.12.2016, 4.ROC.No.7954/2017/E1 dated 18.01.2018 5.Na.Ka.No.4628/2017/E1 dated 12.09.2018, 6.ROC.No.6904/2018/E1 dated 03.12.2018 7.ROC.No.5899/2019/E1 dated 18.12.2019 (2 works), 8.Na.Ka.No.1143/2020/E1 dated 01.06.2020 (4 works), https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 39518 of 2025 __________ Page2 of 5 9.Na.Ka.No.4394/2020/E1 dated 22.06.2020, 10.Na.Ka.No.3982/2020/E1/29.06.2020, 11.ROC.5071/2020/E1 dated 01.09.2020, 12.Na.Ka.No.4108/2020/E1 dated 01.12.2020 (2 works), 13.ROC.No.10757/2020/E1 dated 19.02.2021 14.Na.Ka.No.13359/2021/E1 dated 27.06.2022, 15.Na.Ka.No.1001/2023/E2 dated 01.02.2023, 16.ROC.No.3583/2022/E1 dated 09.01.2023 17.Na.Ka.No.1001/2023/E2 dated 01.02.2023, 18.Na.Ka.No.3717/2012/E dated 06.03.2023, 19.Na.Ka.1092/2024/E1 dated 28.02.2024. For Petitioner(s): Mr.V.Elangovan For Respondent(s): Mr.RA.Gopinath ORDER The petitioner has filed this writ petition seeking a direction to the respondent to consider the petitioner’s e-mail representations dated 18.12.2014, 26.09.2016, 27.11.2017, 14.12.2017, 21.05.2018, 07.10.2020, 08.02.2022, 26.10.2022, 05.12.2022, 23.12.2022, 06.01.2023, 03.11.2023, 30.05.2024, 27.02.2025, 22.04.2025, 28.04.2025, 11.07.2025 and 19.09.2025 and to refund the security deposits, namely Earnest Money Deposit (EMD), Further Security Deposit (FSD) and Additional Security Deposit (ASD), amounting to ₹41,52,446, paid by the petitioner pursuant to various work orders issued by the respondent. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 39518 of 2025 __________ Page3 of 5 2. The petitioner was awarded 24 works by the respondent. According to the petitioner, all the works were completed satisfactorily, completion certificates were issued, and the amounts due towards execution of the works were paid. However, the respondent failed to refund the EMD, FSD and ASD deposits amounting to ₹41,52,446. The petitioner has been repeatedly submitting representations seeking refund of the deposits from 18.12.2014 onwards, but no action has been taken by the respondent. 3. Learned counsel for the respondent submitted that the claims relating to the works mentioned at Serial Nos.1, 12, 13 and 14 are barred by limitation, as the petitioner did not seek refund within three years from the date of completion of the works. It was further submitted that, in respect of the works at Serial Nos.12 to 16 and 19, the amounts could not be released due to pending audit objections arising out of alleged deficiencies in the execution of the works. 4. I have considered the submissions made on either side. 5. It is not in dispute that completion certificates were issued in respect of all the works and that the respondent has paid the amounts due towards execution of the contracts. Once the works were certified as completed and the contractual payments were released, the respondent was under an obligation to refund the security deposits. The respondent could not have withheld the deposits indefinitely awaiting a formal claim from the petitioner. 6. The records further show that the petitioner has been continuously requesting refund of the deposits by making representations from 18.12.2014 till https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 39518 of 2025 __________ Page4 of 5 19.09.2025. Therefore, the contention that some of the claims are barred by limitation is without merit. Likewise, the existence of audit objections cannot, by itself, justify withholding the petitioner’s security deposits, particularly when completion certificates have been issued and the respondent has not disputed the fact that the petitioner had deposited EMD, FSD and ASD aggregating to ₹41,52,446. 7. In view of the above, the petitioner is entitled to refund of the security deposits. Accordingly, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondent to refund the EMD, FSD and ASD amounting to ₹41,52,446 within a period of six (6) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. 8. If the respondent fails to make payment within the stipulated period, the amount shall carry interest at the rate of 8% per annum from the date of default till the date of actual payment. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petition is closed. There shall be no order as to costs. 22-07-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order Neutral Citation: Yes/No ssk To The Commissioner Kanchipuram City Municipal Corporation, Kanchipuram https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 39518 of 2025 __________ Page5 of 5 HEMANT CHANDANGOUDAR, J. ssk WP No. 39518 of 2025 22-07-2026 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis