SAKTHI MAHESH v. State of Tamil Nadu

Court: Madras High Court

Bench: HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI

Judgment date: 2026-04-22

Case summary

Madras High Court judgment dated 2026-04-22. SAKTHI MAHESH v. State of Tamil Nadu. Read the judgment and case details on LawSphereX.

Judgment text

WP No. 13590 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 22-04-2026 CORAM THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M. DHANDAPANI WP No. 13590 of 2026 & WMP Nos. 14871 & 14872 of 2026 Sakthi Mahesh S/o. Mahesh, residing at No. 79 B, Pookollai Road Sixth Nambar Vaikkal, Mannargudi, Tiruvarur-614 001. .. Petitioner Vs 1. State of Tamil Nadu Rep. by its Secretary, The Youth Welfare and Sports Development Department, Secretariat, Fort St. George, Chennai -600 009. 2. Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, Rep. by its authorised officer, Member secretary, Raja Muthiah Road, Periyamet, Chennai-600 003 3. Tamil Nadu Football Association, Rep. by its Administrative Committee 73 Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Parktown, Chennai-600 003 4. All India Football federation, Rep. by its President, Football house, Sector 19, Phase 1, Dwarka, New Delhi-110 075 ..

Respondents Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of Writ of Mandamus to direct the 3rd respondent to immediately conduct selection trials for selecting players and send the team to represent State of Tamil Nadu in Swami Vivekananda U20 Mens NFC (National Football __________ Page1 of 8 https://www. mhc. tn. gov. in/judis WP No. 13590 of 2026 Championship), 2026 tentatively to be held at Narainpur, Chhattisgarh from 20. 04. 2026 onwards. For Petitioner : Mr. Mahesh Kumar. S For Respondents: Mr. T. M. Rajangam, Govt. Advocate for R1 Ms. N. S. Tanvi for R2 Ms. Kanimozhi Mathi for R3 ……… ORDER This Writ Petition is filed for issuance of Writ of Mandamus to direct the 3rd respondent to immediately conduct selection trials for selecting players and send the team to represent State of Tamil Nadu in Swami Vivekananda U20 Mens NFC (National Football Championship), 2026 tentatively to be held at Narainpur, Chhattisgarh from 20. 04.

2026 onwards. 2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner is a foot ball player who plays for a club duly affiliated under Chennai Football Association. Earlier a Writ was filed in relation to sending the Football Team to represent Tamil Nadu in Swami Vivekananda U20 Men’s ( National Foot Ball Championship), 2026. The 4th respondent had on 21. 3. 2026 announced about Swamy Vivekananda Youth 20 Men’s National Foot Ball Championship which is stated to be commenced at Narainpur, Chattisgarh on 20. 04. 2026. __________ Page2 of 8 https://www. mhc. tn. gov. in/judis WP No. 13590 of 2026 The said Tournament serves a crucial platform for young foot ballers to showcase their talents at a National Level and if young players loses to play that tournament this year, they may not be getting this opportunity again as they were become age barred.

The 3rd respondent Administrative Committee took charge for more than 2 1/2 years to send the Tamil Nadu Team to participate for Sub Junior boys and Girls junior, boys and girls under 20, men and senior men and women to send teams to represent the State of Tamilnadu in the National Tournament. Despite the above information being rd received by the 3 respondent/Administrative Committee, they remained inactive and no steps have been taken to conduct the selection to identify the competent and qualified players from the State of Tamil Nadu to represent the above National Tournament. The 3rd respondent who is responsible for conducting selection trial for the Tamil Nadu Foot Ball Team in the said Championship did not commence the selection process till date due to lack of financial support, thereby, the present writ petition is filed. 3.

Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that even rd th the 3 respondent sent several letters to the Secretary of the 4 respondent Federation regarding the disbursement of the annual financial support for the financial years 2023-2024, 2024 to 2025. The 4th respondent is duty bound to give 20 lakhs for each financial year to every State Association to carry out the activities for development of sports. Unfortunately, the 4th respondent has __________ Page3 of 8 https://www. mhc. tn. gov. in/judis WP No. 13590 of 2026 not disbursed the above grant for the last two financial years which pushed the 3rd respondent to face the above financial crisis, thereby, the writ petition is filed. 4. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that admittedly, the National Tournament is scheduled to start from 20. 04. 2026, th but till now, the selection process has not been conducted by the 4 respondent .

Unless selection process is conducted and appropriate team is selected, the petitioner who is a footballer cannot participate in the National rd event. Therefore, a direction to the 3 respondent to conduct selection trials immediately and send the team to represent State of Tamil Nadu is just and necessary. 5. Per contra, learned counsel appearing for the 4th respondent Federation would submit that the Writ Petition is not maintainable as against th the 4th respondent as the 4 respondent is not a State and the petitioner cannot claim, as a matter of right for conducting selection process. The selection process depends upon the financial support granted by the Sports th Authority of India/R2 to the 4 respondent and in the present case, till date, nd the 4th respondent did not grant financial support to the 2 respondent and in nd rd the absence of financial support from the 2 respondent, the 3 respondent is not in a position to conduct any selection process.

Accordingly, she prayed for __________ Page4 of 8 https://www. mhc. tn. gov. in/judis WP No. 13590 of 2026 appropriate orders. 6. Learned counsel appearing for the 2nd respondent would submit that the prayer sought for in the writ petition cannot be maintainable since the issue is purely in between the petitioner/member and the 3rd respondent which has to be adjudicated only before the competent Civil Court in the appropriate manner. 7. The respondents have assailed the writ petition stating that it is not rd th maintainable. As neither the 3 respondent, nor the 4 respondent who fall within the ambit of State so as to issue a Writ against them. The petitioner rd rd wants the 3 respondent to conduct selection process, for which, the 3 th respondent is not able to do as it is not financially sound and that the 4 rd respondent has not given any financial aid to the 3 respondent to conduct the th selection process.

In fact, the 4 respondent submits that without any financial aid being granted by the Sports Authority of India, it is not in a position to rd provide financial assistance to the 3 respondent. The 4th respondent alone is rd th the authority to disburse financial aid and when the 3 and 4 respondents did not come within the ambit of State, this Court cannot issue any prerogative writ against the said respondents to conduct any selection process as the respondents 3 and 4 are fall outside the Writ jurisdiction of this Court. Therefore, no affirmative direction, as sought for by the petitioner for conduct of selection __________ Page5 of 8 https://www. mhc. tn. gov. in/judis WP No. 13590 of 2026 process can be granted by this Court. 8. The issue of the petitioner relates to non conduct of selection trials which could not be done due to non availability of funds.

Even the petitioner rd cannot seek an enforcement of direction on the 3 respondent to conduct the rd selection trial, moreso, due to non availability of fund and that the 3 respondent falls outside the extraordinary jurisdiction of this Court. Further, nd as rightly contended by the learned counsel for the 2 respondent, the dispute is with regard to non conduct of selection trials is between the petitioner and the rd 3 respondent and the same has to be adjudicated only before the competent rd civil court. If at all, the petitioner has any grievance against the 3 respondent relating to non conduct of selection trials, he has to work out the remedy rd against the 3 respondent in accordance with law and no direction in the nature of Writ can be granted. Accordingly, this Writ Petition is dismissed. No costs. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petitions are closed. 22-04-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order Neutral Citation: Yes/No MSR __________ Page6 of 8 https://www.

mhc. tn. gov. in/judis WP No. 13590 of 2026 To 1. The Secretary, The Youth Welfare and Sports Development State of Tamil Nadu Department, Secretariat, Fort St. George, Cehnnai-600 009. 2. Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, Rep. by its Authorized officer, Member secretary, Raja Muthiah Road, Periyamet, Chennai-600 003 3. Tamil Nadu Football Association, Rep. by its Administrative Committee 73 Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Parktown, Chennai-600 003 4. All India Football federation, Rep. by its President, Football house, Sector 19, Phase 1, Dwarka, New Delhi-110 075 __________ Page7 of 8 https://www. mhc. tn. gov. in/judis WP No. 13590 of 2026 M. DHANDAPANI J. msr WP No. 13590 of 2026 & WMP NO. 14871 OF 2026, WMP NO. 14872 OF 2026 22-04-2026 __________ Page8 of 8 https://www. mhc. tn. gov. in/judis

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