CHENNAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to submit a report detailing the number of complaints lodged by government officials against their superiors or colleagues under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act over the past five years.

Justice B Pugalendhi suo motu impleaded the Secretary of the Human Resources Management Department at the Secretariat, while hearing a writ petition in which the respondent, the Chief Educational Officer (CEO), Tirunelveli, apprehended that the petitioner, his personal assistant, might foist a false complaint against him under the Act.

The petitioner, M Jothivel of Tirunelveli, challenged a transfer order passed by the CEO on 9 October 2026, posting him as headmaster of Government Higher Secondary School, Kuvachipatti. He was working as personal assistant to the CEO, Tirunelveli.

The petitioner submitted that the Joint Director of School Education is the competent authority to issue the transfer order.

The Special Government Pleader, appearing for the CEO, submitted that the relationship between the petitioner and the CEO was strained and that if the petitioner continued in the post, he might disturb the administration and even foist a false complaint against the CEO, either himself or through someone associated with him.

After hearing both sides, the Court granted an interim stay of the transfer, as the order was prima facie passed without jurisdiction. However, the Judge restrained the petitioner from performing duties as personal assistant to the CEO until October 26.

The Court directed the Secretary of the Human Resources Management Department to file the report and posted the matter for further hearing on October 26.