The Madras High Court has dismissed a writ appeal preferred by the State government challenging a single judge’s order against restricting recognition of minority status of Loyola College here to a defined period of five years and then renewing the recognition once in five years without granting permanent recognition.
A Division Bench of Justices Rajiv Shakdher and Abdul Quddhose held that it did not find any reason to entertain the appeal and interfere with a well-reasoned order passed by the single judge on August 17, 2012.
Recalling the history of the case, the Bench pointed out that the college had filed a writ petition in 2012 challenging the validity of a Government Order passed on October 8, 2009, limiting the recognition of minority status of the institution to five years, and the single judge had quashed the G.O. on the ground of unfairness.
Assailing the decision, the State argued that quashing of the G.O., issued to monitor and regulate the minority status of the college, would hamper the government’s right to oversee and supervise not only this institution, but all other similar educational institutions.
The Bench rejected the contention by referring to a judgment passed by another Division Bench in Jeyaraj Annapackiam College case (2013), wherein it was held that minority status of the institution would hold good without any restriction period and that it was open to the government to take appropriate action if there was any change in management.
‘No bias in admission’
The judges pointed out that Loyola College, was being run by a society formed by members of the Congregation of Society of Jesus, known as Jesuits. Though it was a Christian religious minority institution, admission was not denied to anyone on the grounds of caste, creed, religion or language. Only since 1998, the Directorate of Collegiate Education has been insisting that the college get separate G.O.s issued recognising its minority status.
