Madras HC sets aside single judge order on engineering college

In a set back to an engineering college set up by a trust run by former DMK leader M K Alagiri, the Madras High Court today set aside the order of a single judge directing Anna University to grant provisional affiliation to it for 2014-15 academic year.
A bench comprising justices M Jaichandran and R Mahadevan, allowing an appeal by the university, quashed the July 1 order of Justice K Ravichandrabaabu directing provisional affiliation to the Daya College of Engineering, which has been waging a prolonged legal battle for commencing its functioning ever since it was set up in 2011.

The single judge had in fact pulled up the varsity, expressing his displeasure over its attitude in coming out with new reason or objection every time the court directed it to provide affiliation. His order was passed on sixth petition by the college over the matter.
However, setting aside the order, the division bench agreed with the contention of Anna University that students admitted to the college might be affected if any statutory action was directed in a pending PIL, which has alleged encroachment of water courses for construction of the college.
Registrar-in-charge of the university Dr Ganesan, the appellant, contended that the single judge's order was against law and it amounted to interfering with the statutory power exercised by the university within four corners of the law.

When the college had not met with the prerequisite conditions for the grant of provisional affiliation, failing to produce necessary certificates from the PWD for structural stability of the building, renewed certificate from the health inspector and certificate from the licence holder for safety of the electrical installations, it was not possible to provide affiliation, he submitted.