The Madras High Court on Monday said schools and colleges should function as usual on October 7 and directed the government to ensure public safety and maintain law and order so that no untoward incident takes place.
“The State government will be held responsible for any untoward incident,” said a Special Bench comprising Justices S. Vaidyanathan and R. Mahadevan while passing an interim order on petitions challenging a decision of the Federation of Association of Private Schools and Colleges in Tamil Nadu to close all educational institutions on October 7 in support of the former Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa.
In a petition, advocate R.S. Bharathi said consequent to the sentencing of Ms. Jayalalithaa by a Bangalore court, the AIADMK was indulging in agitations, causing inconvenience to the public. The government did not take any action.
Local bodies were passing resolutions condemning the judiciary which was illegal. Similarly, the announcement by management associations that nearly 4500 private schools in the State and 170 engineering colleges in the western region would remain closed on Tuesday was also illegal, he said.
K. Balu, president of the Advocates Forum for Social Justice, said most parents were against the attitude of closing schools for a day to support an individual, who was been sentenced. The federation’s act was illegal and contrary to education code and dictums of the Supreme Court and High Courts.
S. Jimraj Milton, secretary, Human Rights Protection Centre, Chennai wing, sought an interim direction to the authorities to provide adequate security and protection to the public and private schools and colleges to ensure the smooth functioning of the institutions.
The government submitted that no permission was granted for closing educational institutions. The federation had also not applied to the government for permission. The federation’s resolution to close the institutions was subsequently withdrawn and wide publicity was given to it. Law and order would be maintained.
As per Supreme Court ruling, the proposed closure of schools and colleges was illegal, the Bench observed.
