MKU sex scam: HC says it will not stall probe by guv panel
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai: 10.05.2018
Upholding the claim of Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit that he has powers as the chancellor of state universities to appoint a committee to inquire into the alleged sex scandal involving assistant professor Nirmala Devi, the Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Wednesday refused to stall the probe conducted by the R Santhanam commission.
Noting that the courts cannot interfere in the powers of the governor, a division bench of Justices M Govindaraj and G R Swaminathan dismissed a public interest litigation moved by Selvagomathy seeking to declare the committee headed by former IAS officer R Santhanam as null and void.
Instead, the petitioner wanted the court to direct the Madurai Kamaraj University to discharge its powers under the provisions of the University Grants Commission (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment against Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations - 2015.
The petitioner sought a direction to hold an inquiry of the sexual harassment complaint by a local complaints committee as required under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act.
The governor had appointed former IAS officer R Santhanam as the inquiry commission on April 17. Soon after the appointment, questions were raised about the Raj Bhavan instituting a probe into the case of a woman assistant professor allegedly asking students to offer sexual favours to higher-ups. However, the governor defended himself saying that, as the chancellor of the university, he had the authority to do so.
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai: 10.05.2018
Upholding the claim of Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit that he has powers as the chancellor of state universities to appoint a committee to inquire into the alleged sex scandal involving assistant professor Nirmala Devi, the Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Wednesday refused to stall the probe conducted by the R Santhanam commission.
Noting that the courts cannot interfere in the powers of the governor, a division bench of Justices M Govindaraj and G R Swaminathan dismissed a public interest litigation moved by Selvagomathy seeking to declare the committee headed by former IAS officer R Santhanam as null and void.
Instead, the petitioner wanted the court to direct the Madurai Kamaraj University to discharge its powers under the provisions of the University Grants Commission (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment against Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations - 2015.
The petitioner sought a direction to hold an inquiry of the sexual harassment complaint by a local complaints committee as required under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act.
The governor had appointed former IAS officer R Santhanam as the inquiry commission on April 17. Soon after the appointment, questions were raised about the Raj Bhavan instituting a probe into the case of a woman assistant professor allegedly asking students to offer sexual favours to higher-ups. However, the governor defended himself saying that, as the chancellor of the university, he had the authority to do so.
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