Tamil Nadu government promoted seven IAS officers without Centre’s approval, Union Ministry tells Madras High Court

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Former Finance Secretary T. Udhayachandran, and IAS officer of the 1995 batch, B. Chandra Mohan. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions on Wednesday (June 10, 2026) told the Madras High Court that the Tamil Nadu government had promoted seven Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers of the 1995 batch to the grade of Chief Secretary without the Centre’s approval.

Appearing before the first Division Bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) AR.L. Sundaresan said, the Centre would initiate necessary action with respect to the promotions given to the seven IAS officers without its approval.

The submissions were made just before the Bench dismissed a public interest litigation petition which had challenged a government order (G.O.) issued on December 24, 2025, for promoting the seven officers, including former Finance Secretary T. Udhayachandran, to the grade of Chief Secretary.

The ASG, representing the Union Ministry as well as the Cabinet Secretary, said: “The Government of Tamil Nadu had applied to the Government of India, but we had not granted the approval. Therefore, whatever action we have to take, we will be taking independently irrespective of the outcome of this PIL petition.”

The PIL plea had been filed by Chennai-based advocate M. Balakrishnan. When the judges wanted to know how a PIL petition could be entertained in a matter related to government service, the petitioner’s counsel replied that it could be entertained in exceptional cases such as the present one.

The counsel said, it had become a habit for the State government to promote IAS officers without the approval of the Centre though the rules applicable to All India Service require the State governments to do so only in consultation with the Centre since the promotions lead to payment of higher salary.

Not convinced with the arguments advanced by the counsel on the merits of the ca