Madurai HC dismisses petition against MKU

Madurai: Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court dismissed a PIL seeking CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the appointment of faculty members in Madurai Kamaraj University from 2008 to 2011.
   
A Division bench of Justice Banumathi and Justice B.Rajendran said the University Senate had passed a resolution for appointing a committee to probe the issue.If the petitioner had any grievance, he could inform the committee first.There was an in-built mechanism to address such issues. 
    
The bench declined to direct MKU to register a complaint with CBI on the issue.
     
The Petitioner,I Ismail,a senate member, alleged that "irregularities" committed between 2008-2011 when P Karpaga Kumaravel was the Vice-Chancellor were reported in the audit report submitted for 2010-2011.
    
"Therefore, it is for the Senate and the new Vice Chancellor to take necessary action if the petitioner brings the irregularities and illegalities committed by the second respondent (Kumaravel) to the notice on the basis of the audit report. We do not find any reason to interfere with the matter at this early stage", the judges said.
     
Dismissing the plea, the judges said "It is always open for the petitioner to approach the appropriate authorities and bring to their notice for follow-up action. He being the Senate member, he can definitely do so in the manner known to law instead of rushing to the Court at the earliest stage with Public Interest Litigation." 

Madras High Court criticises college over dismissal of students

Madurai:  The Madras High Court criticised an autonomous college for dismissing a boy and a girl student, for reportedly being in possession of mobile phones inside the college campus and for traveling together in public bus after the college.

The two students were pursuing first year BCA at the college.

Directing the college to re-admit the students, Justice V Dhanapalan said "in a civilised and developed society, free movement of students irrespective of the sex they belong to cannot be faulted by the institution. If it is construed in a wrong sense, there will not be any headway with regard to the day to day affairs of the students".

The judge suggested that a mechanism should be devised to administer a code of conduct to regulate the use of mobile phones in educational institutions.

"This court has much concern about the usage of cell phones in the manner as used by the students. It is for the State authorities, educational institutions and all other stake-holders in the respective field to evolve a mechanism with regard to the usage of cell phones by students", the judge said.

However mere possession of mobile phones inside the campus cannot deny a student his/her fundamental right to education, he added. "Education is a fundamental right for the students. Mere use of technological  advancement which causes certain inconvenience will not deprive them of their right to education", the judge said.

The parents of the students moved the court after the college initiated disciplinary proceedings against the students, without giving them a chance to explain them.

Criticising the decision of the college the judge said, "The (dismissal) order is ex-facie illegal, non-speaking with total non-application of mind besides being passed without affording an opportunity to the petitioners. It is violation of natural justice and the decision is totally unwarranted".

The judge issued directions to the college administration to re-admit the students in the college immediately. The period of absence of the students, during the dismissal, shall be reckoned as attendance so that it enables them to appear for exams in due court, the judge said.