11 hrs ago
Madras High Court Upholds Cancellation of Retiree’s ST Certificate
A. Jegannathan had an official certificate saying he belonged to a Scheduled Tribe.
He used it to get a reserved job at the Chennai Port Trust.
Later, officials said his school records showed that he belonged to the Urali Gounder community instead.
The certificate was questioned for many years.
A committee finally ruled in 2021 that the certificate was not genuine.
Jegannathan argued that officials could not check the certificate after he retired.
The Madras High Court disagreed and said old certificates could still be verified.
Because the court upheld the committee’s finding, it also refused to order all of his retirement benefits.
The Madras High Court upheld cancellation of A. Jegannathan’s 1980 Scheduled Tribe certificate.
Authorities concluded that Jegannathan belonged to the Urali Gounder community, not the Urali tribe.
The verification process began in 1983 and continued through the State Level Scrutiny Committee’s 2021 order.
The court ruled that retirement and the certificate’s age did not prevent community-status verification.
The court denied full pension, gratuity, leave salary and other benefits linked to the disputed appointment.
- Who
- A. Jegannathan, the Chennai Port Trust, the State Level Scrutiny Committee and the Madras High Court.
- What
- The court upheld cancellation of Jegannathan’s Scheduled Tribe certificate and rejected his claim for full retirement benefits.
- Where
- The case concerned employment at the Chennai Port Trust and was decided by the Madras High Court.
- When
- The certificate was issued in 1980; the State Level Scrutiny Committee ruled on 19 August 2021; the High Court decision was dated 16 September 2026.
- Why
- Authorities concluded that Jegannathan belonged to the Urali Gounder community rather than the Urali tribe recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in Tamil Nadu.
Jegannathan’s Position
Authorities’ and Court’s Position
Verification after retirement
Jegannathan’s Position
Jegannathan argued that his community certificate should not be scrutinized after his retirement.
Authorities’ and Court’s Position
The court held that retirement does not prevent verification and that a disputed appointment does not become valid merely because the employee later retires.
Older certificates and appointments
Jegannathan’s Position
Jegannathan argued that certificates issued before 1995, including his 1980 certificate, should not be reopened.
Authorities’ and Court’s Position
Relying on the Full Bench ruling in R. Gurusamy, the court held that pre-1995 certificates and appointments may still be scrutinized.
Opportunity to defend the claim
Jegannathan’s Position
Jegannathan argued that he was not given a proper opportunity to contest the scrutiny committee’s decision, including because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Authorities’ and Court’s Position
The court found that he had received opportunities during the long-running proceedings and declined to order another inquiry, citing documentary evidence and his repeated challenges to the process.
Key facts
- Petitioner
- A. Jegannathan, a retired Chennai Port Trust employee
- Certificate
- A 1980 certificate identifying him as belonging to the Hindu Urali tribe
- Employment
- He was appointed against a Scheduled Tribe-reserved vacancy and retired on 31 January 2013
- Verification start
- The certificate was referred for verification in 1983
- Final scrutiny order
- The State Level Scrutiny Committee found the certificate was not genuine on 19 August 2021
- Court decision
- The Madras High Court upheld the certificate cancellation on 16 September 2026
- Benefits sought
- Full pension, commutation, gratuity, leave salary and other terminal benefits
Sources
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