PIL seeking direction to take over management of college dismissed

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Universities have nothing to do with allegations of collection of excess fees by affiliated colleges and hence reports submitted by committees appointed by the varsities could not be relied upon to initiate action against the institutions concerned, the Madras High Court Bench here has said.

A Division Bench of Justices S. Nagamuthu and M.V. Muralidaran made the observation while dismissing a public interest litigation petition filed in 2013 to remove Srikumaran Nair from the post of principal of Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar College at Melaneelathanallur in Tirunelveli District.

The petitioner had sought a direction to Director of Collegiate Education and Registrar of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University in Tirunelveli to take over the management of the college and appoint a Special Officer to administer it since a committee constituted by the university had confirmed allegation of collections of excess fee. Rejecting both his prayers, the Division Bench said that the first relief could not be granted since Mr. Nair had retired from service before the PIL petition could be taken up for final hearing so that plea had become infructuous.

In so far as the second prayer was concerned, the judges said: “In our considered view, the university has got nothing to do with the fee structure and fee collected from the students. It is for the educational authorities to consider the same. Therefore, no weightage could be given to the report of the fact finding body appointed by the Registrar of the University as it is beyond the scope of the university. This writ petition has been pending from the year 2013. At this length of time, even, if any direction is issued to the authorities to hold enquiry into these allegations, the result would not be fruitful.

“Though the learned counsel for the petitioner seeks for a direction to the authorities to hold enquiry, we are not inclined to issue any such direction at this length of time. The writ petition is dismissed.”