MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently dismissed petitions filed by four Group-I officers challenging the orders passed by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) cancelling their provisional selection last year, on charges that they fraudulently obtained the job through PSTM (Persons Studied in Tamil Medium) quota.
The officers include Deputy Collectors NA Chanheetha and M Kalaivani and two assistant commissioners of the commercial taxes department, S Swapna and KC Sathish Kumar.
Following a petition alleging that certain candidates procured fake degree certificates in order to fraudulently avail of benefit under PSTM reservation, the HC ordered the vigilance department to conduct an inquiry. During the investigation, the Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) informed that the degree certificates obtained by the four were invalid. Subsequently, an FIR was registered against the petitioners.
In 2025, the university and the TNPSC cancelled the degrees and the selection of the petitioners respectively.
Hearing the petitions filed by the officers challenging the orders, Justice B Pugalendhi observed that the legitimacy of public administration rests upon the confidence of the public that appointments to public office are made strictly in accordance with law. Where the very foundation of an appointment stands seriously questioned, this court would be failing in its constitutional duty if it protects such appointments, he added.
