WP No. 28038 of 2026 __________ Page1 of 9 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 20-07-2026 CORAM THE HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE P.T. ASHA WP No. 28038 of 2026 AND WMP NO. 30701 OF 2026,WMP NO. 30702 OF 2026 J.Maria Shilpa ..Petitioner(s) Vs 1. The State of Tamil Nadu Rep. by its Principal Secretary to Government, School Education Department, Secretariat, Fort St. George, Chennai-600 009 2. The Director of School Education Perasiriyar Anbazhagan Kalvi Valagam, College Road,Chennai-600 006 3. The Joint Director of School Education (Personnel) Directorate of School education Perasiriyar Anbazhagan kalvi Valagam, College Road, Chennai-600 006 4. The Chief Educational Officer, Dharmapuri District, Dharmapuri-636 705 5. The District Educational officer (Secondary) Dharmapuri Education District, Dharmapuri-636 705 ..Respondent(s) https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 28038 of 2026 __________ Page2 of 9 Prayer:- Writ petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of a writ of Certiorarified Mandamus Call for the records relating to the impugned order issued by the 4th respondent in Roc. No.0517/ B4/ 2026 dated 06.02.2026 and to quash the same and consequently directing the respondents to reinstate the petitioner in the post of B.T. Assistant (Social Science) Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Lakkiampatti Dharmapuri District with all consequential and other attendant service benefits including arrears of salary. For Petitioner(s): Mr.G.Sankaran, Senior Counsel for Mr.S.Nedunchezhiyan For Respondent(s): Mr.A.R.Balaji, GA for R.1 to R.5 Order The above Writ Petition has been filed for the following reliefs:- “Call for the records relating to the impugned order issued by the 4th respondent in Roc. No.0517/ B4/ 2026 dated 06.02.2026 and to quash the same and consequently directing the respondents to reinstate the petitioner in the post of B.T. Assistant (Social Science) Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Lakkiampatti Dharmapuri District with all consequential and other attendant service benefits including arrears of salary. Brief Facts:- 2. The petitioner was appointed as a B.T. Assistant (Social Science) in the School Education Department through the Teachers Recruitment Board on 17.12.2012. According to the petitioner, she has been rendering sincere and https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 28038 of 2026 __________ Page3 of 9 meritorious service ever since her appointment and has received appreciation from the Department for her academic contributions. She was entrusted by the State Council of Educational Research and Training with the preparation of audio books for English language textbooks and has also received several awards, including the "Nambikkai Natchatram – 2024" State Award, for her contribution to education. 3. The petitioner would submit that she was subjected to continuous harassment at the hands of the then Headmaster and one Mr. Pugazhendhi, Computer Instructor, who allegedly recorded and circulated videos and photographs of her in social media with an intention to tarnish her reputation. In this regard, the complaints submitted by the petitioner to the departmental authorities did not evoke any effective action. On the contrary, she was transferred from Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Lakkiampatti, Dharmapuri District, to Krishnagiri District by proceedings dated 25.04.2025. Challenging the said transfer, the petitioner filed W.P.No.19406 of 2025, in which this Court granted interim protection enabling her to continue in the same school. 4. While so, during the revision examinations for the X Standard students, the petitioner admittedly struck certain students lightly on their hands with a https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 28038 of 2026 __________ Page4 of 9 stick as a corrective measure to ensure that they did not repeat mistakes in the forthcoming public examinations. On 05.02.2026, CCTV footage of the incident was telecast by News18 Tamil Nadu and widely circulated on social media portraying the petitioner as having inflicted corporal punishment upon the students. According to the petitioner, the CCTV footage was unlawfully accessed from the Headmaster's room and circulated with mala fide intention by the Headmaster and the Computer Instructor to victimise her. 5. The petitioner would further contend that neither the students nor their parents had lodged any complaint against her alleging corporal punishment. On the contrary, the parents filed W.P.No.6626 of 2026 seeking action against the persons responsible for unauthorisedly accessing and circulating the CCTV footage, contending that the publication of the video had adversely affected the students. In the said proceedings, the official respondents admitted that access to the CCTV system was available only to the Headmaster, Assistant Headmaster and the Computer Instructor, and that a complaint had been lodged before the Cyber Crime Police to identify the persons responsible for circulating the footage. By order dated 18.03.2026, this Court directed the authorities to take appropriate steps for removal of the videos from social media and to proceed against the persons responsible for their unauthorised publication. However, even before the issue relating to the unauthorised circulation of the https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 28038 of 2026 __________ Page5 of 9 CCTV footage could be investigated, the fourth respondent placed the petitioner under suspension by proceedings dated 06.02.2026 on the allegation that she had inflicted corporal punishment upon the students in violation of the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. 6. The petitioner would submit that the order of suspension was passed mechanically, solely on the basis of media reports, without any proper preliminary enquiry. She also alleges that despite prolonged suspension, the respondents failed to pay subsistence allowance in accordance with law. Therefore, aggrieved by the order of suspension dated 06.02.2026, the petitioner has filed the present writ petition seeking to quash the same and for a consequential direction to reinstate her in service with all attendant benefits. 7. The learned Government Advocate, on instructions, submitted that the petitioner could be accommodated in any Government School in and around Lakkiampatti, Dharmapuri District. 8. Heard the learned counsel on either side and perused the records. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 28038 of 2026 __________ Page6 of 9 9. The petitioner has been suspended on the ground that she has used corporal punishment on certain students. It appears that the entire incident had been blown up in the Social Media which resulted in the parents moving this Court by filing in WP.No.6626 of 2026 seeking a mandamus to respondents 1 to 5 therein to initiate legal proceedings against the persons for responsible for recording, transferring and publishing the video footage from the school premises and circulating the same through television media and social media platforms. In paragraph No.2 of the affidavit filed in W.P.No.6626 of 2026, the parents have specifically stated as follows:- “In fact, the teacher had only struck the students with a stick as a corrective measure for academic mistakes committed by them.” 10. The above statement clearly shows that the parents of the students, who are the real aggrieved persons, have no objection to the teacher taking corrective measures against the students for their slackness in academic pursuits. However, the respondents have insisted on suspending the petitioner and have therefore initiated proceedings against her by issuing a charge memo, ultimately resulting in her suspension on 06.02.2026. 11. A perusal of the records would show that the petitioner's academic work and educational services have been appreciated by the Department. She had been entrusted with the preparation of audio books for English language https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 28038 of 2026 __________ Page7 of 9 textbooks and has also been actively involved in conducting cultural activities in the school. Therefore, it appears that the petitioner has been contributing to the holistic development of the students. Such a teacher should not be kept away from teaching duties. 12. Considering the above discussions and taking note of the submission made by the learned counsel for the respondents, this Writ Petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents to reinstate the petitioner by posting her in a school in and around Lakkiampatti, Dharmapuri District, within a period of two weeks from today. It is made clear that such reinstatement shall be without prejudice to the disciplinary proceedings already initiated against the petitioner, which shall be proceeded with and concluded in accordance with law. The petitioner shall cooperate in the disciplinary proceedings. It is needless to state that the respondents shall forthwith pay the eligible subsistence allowance payable to the petitioner till the date of her reinstatement. No costs. Consequently, the connected Miscellaneous Petitions are closed. 20-07-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order Neutral Citation: Yes/No SHR https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 28038 of 2026 __________ Page8 of 9 P.T.ASHA J. SHR To 1. The State of Tamil Nadu Rep. by its Principal Secretary to Government, School Education Department, Secretariat, Fort St. George, Chennai-600 009 2. The Director of School Education Perasiriyar Anbazhagan Kalvi Valagam, College Road, Chennai-600 006 3. the Joint Director of School Education (Personnel) Directorate of School education Perasiriyar Anbazhagan kalvi Valagam, College Road,Chennai-600 006 4. The Chief Educational Officer, Dharmapuri District, Dharmapuri-636 705 5. The District Educational officer (Secondary) Dharmapuri Education District, Dharmapuri-636 705 WP No. 28038 of 2026 AND WMP NO. 30701 OF 2026,WMP NO. 30702 OF 2026 20-07-2026 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 28038 of 2026 __________ Page9 of 9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis