Judges : MALIMATH,BHASKARAN NAMBIAR
YOUNUS KUNJU - Appellant
Versus
STATE OF KERALA - Respondent
Case No : W.A. No. 650 of 1987
Decided On : 07/21/1988
Advocates Appeared :
K.K. Usha; For Appellant K. Sudhakaran; V. Jayakumar; For Respondents
admissions - aided training school - Kerala Education Act - Chapter XXV - R.6, 7, 8 - The court discussed the applicability of R.6, 7, and 8 of Chapter XXV of the Kerala Education Rules to minority institutions and the entitlement of the appellant's institution to the protection under Art.30(1) of the Constitution. The court held that the provisions of R.6, 7, and 8 do not apply to the appellant's Training School, the Imam Hussain Memorial Basic Training School, and restrained the respondents from enforcing the said provisions against the appellant and his Training School.
Fact of the Case:
The appellant, the Manager of an aided training school, challenged the statutory restriction on admission, claiming that it offends his fundamental right under Art.30(1) of the Constitution. The dispute arose when the Government refused to recognize the appellant's school as a minority institution and attempted to enforce R.6, 7, and 8 of Chapter XXV of the Kerala Education Rules, leading to the suspension of the teacher in charge of admission and the de-recognition and closure of the school.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the provisions of R.6, 7, and 8 of Chapter XXV of the Kerala Education Rules do not apply to the appellant's Training School, which is entitled to the protection guaranteed under Art.30(1) of the Constitution. The court set aside the directions issued by the learned judge and restrained the respondents from enforcing the said provisions against the appellant and his Training School.
Issues: The issues before the court were (1) the applicability of R.6, 7, and 8 in Chapter XXV of the Kerala Education Rules to minority institutions and (2) the entitlement of the appellant's institution to the protection under Art.30(1) of the Constitution.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the provisions of R.6, 7, and 8 of Chapter XXV of the Kerala Education Rules do not apply to minority institutions protected under Art.30(1) of the Constitution. The court also found that the Imam Hussain Memorial Basic Training School, established by a minority community, is entitled to the protection guaranteed under Art.30(1) of the Constitution.
Final Decision: The appeal was allowed, and the directions issued by the learned judge were set aside. The court declared that R.6, 7, and 8 of Chapter XXV of the Kerala Education Rules are not applicable to the appellant's Training School, and restrained the respondents from enforcing the said provisions against the appellant and his Training School. The orders de-recognising the school and directing its closure were set aside, and the respondents were restrained from withdrawing the recognition of the school or withholding its grant for violation of R.6, 7, and 8 of Chapter XXV of the Kerala Education Rules. The court also directed that admission for the year 1988-89 would be made without reference to R.6, 7, and 8 of Chapter XXV of the Kerala Education Rules.
1. A short controversy, relating to admission of students to an aided training school, remains to be resolved in this appeal. The academic year has commenced; the admissions can no longer wait; the dispute thus requires to be settled without any further delay.
2. The appellant is the Manager of an aided training school governed by the Kerala Education Act and the Rules made thereunder. The rules regulate admission and twenty per cent of the seats alone are reserved for selection by the Managers of these aided institutions while sixty per cent of the seats are filled by selection through the Public Service Commission and twenty per cent by deputation of untrained teachers in Government schools. This statutory restriction is challenged by the appellant on the ground that it offends bis fundamental right under Art.30(1) of the Constitution. He claims that he is the Manager of an educational institution established and administered by a minority community and R.6, 7 and 8 in Chapter XXV of the rules (K.E R. for short) are inapplicable to him and his training school. The Government on the other hand refute bis claim and assert that the appellant's school was never treated or declared as a minority institution by the Government or the Education Department. A learned judge of this Court held that the appellant has not proved by evidence or circumstances that his school is a minority institution and dismissed his claim. The appeal is against this decision.
3. On 28th February, 1963, the Government sanctioned a new private training school at Quilon, the I mam Hussain Memorial Basic Training School, in the name of Haji M. Abdul Majeed Sahib, President, Mila-de-Sheriff Committee, Quilon. Haji M. Abdul Majeed died in 1972. There was some dispute regarding change of management as a claim was made by the Muslim Educational Society, Quilon, stating that it bad obtained assignment of the management rights from Haji Abdul Majeed before his death, based on an unregistered deed written on stamp paper. This dispute could not be settled and there was no Manager recognised by the Department. The recognition of the school was, therefore, withdrawn by the Deputy Director on 29-5-1973; but the Government promptly stayed the order on 16-6-1973. Almost a year thereafter, the stay was vacated on 26-4-1974; but meanwhile, all the training schools in the State remained closed till 1977 and this school also did not function all these years. The school reopened in 1977, and the Government authorised the District Educational Officer to function as Manager till the management dispute was settled. The Government, eventually by order dated 26-10-1978 held "the school belongs to a corporate Educational Agency, the Mila-de-Sheriff committee. Now this Committee is represented by its President, Shri Yoonus Kunju (the appellant) and he is to be recognised as the Manager of the School" and the earlier order withdrawing the recognition was cancelled. (Ext. P30). Two Writ Petitions, O.P. No. 3818 of 1978 and O.P. No. 362 of 1979, filed by the Muslim Educational Society and its Branch Office at Quilon, were dismissed is July, 1984. When in the next academic year, 1985, admissions had to commence, the appellant informed the authorities that it was proposed to fill all the 40 seats available in the school by candidates selected by the management and requested that no candidate selected by the Government may be sent or deputed to this school. The Government, however, took the firm stand that the appellant's institution was not established for the benefit of any particular minority community and could not be treated as a minority institution'in the absence of conclusive proof thereon'. Refusal by the management to admit the Government sponsored candidates, naturally provoked the authorities to issue notice to show cause why the recognition to the appellant's school should not be withdrawn. The appellant showed cause; but swift action followed. The teacher in charge
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.