P.Panchatcharam vs /
2026 Latest Caselaw 457 Mad

Citation : 2026 Latest Caselaw 457 Mad
Judgement Date : 18 February, 2026

[Cites 1, Cited by 0]

Madras High Court

P.Panchatcharam vs / on 18 February, 2026

Author: D.Bharatha Chakravarthy

Bench: D.Bharatha Chakravarthy

                                                                                                W.P.No.5856 of 2026


                                  IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
                                                  DATED: 18-02-2026
                                                           CORAM
                 THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE D.BHARATHA CHAKRAVARTHY
                                                  W.P.No.5856 of 2026

                P.Panchatcharam, M/A 46 years,
                S/o Perumal,
                No.126, 5 Street,
                Krishnamachari Nagar,
                Alapakkam, Chennai 600 116.                                              .. Petitioner

                                                            /versus/

                1.The Principal Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu,
                Health and Family Welfare Department,
                Fort St.George, Chennai 600 009.

                2.The Director of Medical Education,
                Periyar E.V.K.Salai,
                Kilpauk, Chennai 600 010.

                3.The Additional Director of Medical Education/Secretary,
                Selection Committee,
                Periyar E.V.K.Salai,
                Kilpauk, Chennai 600 010.                              .. Respondents


                          Writ petition has been filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India
                praying to issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents to enhance the
                number of seats reserved from the existing reservation of 7 seats under M.B.B.S
                and 1 seat under B.D.S categories which was provided for sports persons when
                the total intake of students in 22 Government Medical Colleges and 1 Dental
                College was 2900 students for the year 2018-2019 to at least 87 seats under
                M.B.B.S. and 4 seats under B.D.S category courses proportionate to 37
                Government Medical Colleges and 3 Dental Colleges with a total intake of 5425



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                                                                                             W.P.No.5856 of 2026


                students as on date, based on the representation of the petitioner dated
                22.12.2025 within the time stipulated by this Court.
                                  For Petitioner         :Mr.M.Purushothaman

                                  For Respondents :Mr.E.Sundaram, GA for R1 and R2

                                                          Mrs.N.Sneha, for R3

                                                                   -----

                                                                   ORDER

The writ petition is filed for a Mandamus directing the respondents to

enhance the number of seats reserved from the existing reservation of 7 seats

under M.B.B.S and 1 seat under B.D.S categories which was provided for sports

persons, when the total intake of students in 22 Government Medical Colleges

and 1 Dental College was 2900 students for the year 2018-2019 to at least 87

seats under M.B.B.S. and 4 seats under B.D.S category courses proportionate to

37 Government Medical Colleges and 3 Dental Colleges with a total intake of

5425 students as on date, based on the representation of the petitioner dated

22.12.2025, within the time stipulated by this Court.

2. Upon hearing the learned counsel for the petitioner and perusing the

material records of the case, it is the case of the petitioner that, by G.O.

(D)No.976, Health and Family Welfare (MCA-1)Department, dated 01.06.2018,

the number of seats under the Government quota was fixed. From the records,

the total number of seats has manifoldly increased and the total number of

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eligible sportspersons have also increased. Therefore, it is high time that the

Government takes up the exercise to revise the total number of seats.

3. Mrs.Sneha, learned counsel, taking notice on behalf of the third

respondent, would submit that there is no fixed quota or Rule of reservation

with reference to the sportspersons. As far as the medical and dental courses are

concerned, the Government took a policy decision by way of G.O.(D)No.976,

dated 01.06.2018, providing for the number of seats. It is true that it has not

been revisited so far.

4. Upon considering the above submissions, it would be a policy decision

of the Government to make a reservation for the sportsperson in the M.B.B.S

and B.D.S courses and to make provision for the number of seats to be filled by

the sportspersons. By exercise of its powers, the Government has issued G.O.

(D)No.976 dated 01.06.2018.

5. According to the learned counsel for the petitioner, it is for the

Government to revisit the same ,as already 8 years have passed.

6. Accordingly, this writ petition is disposed of with the following

directions:-

(i)The representation of the petitioner dated 22.12.2025 shall be taken up

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for consideration by the first respondent.

(ii)The first respondent, after due consultation with the second respondent

or such other authorities, as the case may be, shall take a decision afresh in

accordance with law, depending on the policy of the Government.

(iii)The above exercise shall be completed as expeditiously as possible in

any event, not later than 4 months from today, so that the appropriate seat

matrix can be included at least in the prospectus that is published for the

academic year 2026-2027, as per the schedule normally fixed by the DGHS,

after approval of the schedule by the Honourable Supreme Court of India.