Judge directs HC registry to delete 'controversial' observations

Madras High Court Justice S Vaidyanathan, who had withdrew his observation that co-education in Christian institutes was "highly unsafe" for the future of girl children, on Thursday deleted some more controversial paras in his order.

The judge had made the observations recently when refusing to quash a show-cause notice issued to a Madras Christian College professor facing sexual harassment charge from at least 34 girl students pursuing third-year Zoology course at the college.

Justice Vaidyanathan said, "The High Court Registry is directed to issue a fresh order copy after removing the expunged paras."
The representation said, "It is well established judicial norm that judges do not venture into issues that is not the subject matter of adjudication and judicial restraint is exercised to ensure that all the statements made by a judge are backed by evidence and are germane to the issue being considered."
In his order dismissing the plea of Assistant Professor Samuel Tennyson, the judge had on August 16 said, "There is a general feeling among parents of students, especially female students, that co-educational study in Christian institutions is highly unsafe for the future of their children."