CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered a Revenue department officer, who was facing action for disobeying the orders of the court, to construct a ladies' toilet at a panchayat union middle school by paying from his own pocket.
The order was passed by Justice PT Asha in a contempt of court case after finding the conduct of the Tahsildar of Kadaiyampatti Taluk in Salem, Nagoor Meerasa, contumacious.
The contempt petition was filed by M Roja, seeking to punish him for disobeying a 2024 order of the court regarding the issuance of a patta to the contempt petitioner.
“The contemnor shall demolish the dilapidated ladies toilet at the Panchayat Union Middle School, Kadaiyampatti, Salem and reconstruct the same. The contemnor shall ensure that the restroom shall consist of the amenities of an Indian closet, two European closets with hand faucets and Wash basins,” the judge said in a recent order.
Further, the judge ordered the Tahsildar to put up a separate water tank for the toilet to ensure a continuous water supply to the toilets, which shall not be open ones but be closed ones to ensure privacy; and the construction expenses shall be paid by the Tahsildar from his own money and not from the government funds.
The contempt petitioner prayed for the court to punish the Tahsildar for failing to issue her patta for land measuring 1.26 acres in the village as per the order passed by the court on December 10, 2024.
The land was owned by her forefather, who had been a member of Nila Kudiyetra Cooperative Society since 1940. The society was dissolved in 1986. The petitioner applied for a patta to the land, which was in her family’s possession and was being used for agricultural activities.
When patta was denied, she approached the court, which ordered the issuance of patta by considering her application and related issues. However, the respondent officer did not take action as per the court orders, resulting in the contempt petition.
“This Court cannot sit back and permit the majesty and dignity of the Court to be reduced to the level where even, according to the contemnor’s affidavit, orders of the Court are given the last priority. This Court therefore finds the contemnor guilty of contempt,” the judge observed.
The judge set aside an order of the Tahsildar passed on December 8, 2025, a day before the contempt case came up for hearing, to reject the application of the petitioner. She directed the district collector to remit the matter to another officer for appropriate action.