JUDGMENT:

The Managers and Principals of certain Aided Minority Educational Institutions established and administered by the Christian Community in the State have approached this Court with this writ petition seeking for a declaration that the Board of Adjudication of the Students Grievances (‘BASG’ for short) constituted under Chapter 27 of the Mahatma Gandhi University First Statutes, 1997 (‘Statutes’ for short) has no authority to adjudicate the grievances of the students pertaining to disciplinary proceedings initiated or action taken against them by the Principals of the petitioners' institution. They have also sought for a declaration that Rule 9 of the Mahatma Gandhi University Students Code of Conduct Rules, 2005, (‘Code of Conduct Rules’ for short) would not be applicable to the minority educational institutions run by the petitioners.

2. The facts as detailed in the petition are as under. The petitioners contend that the Colleges run by them are minority institutions and are entitled to the protection guaranteed under Article 30(1) of the Constitution of India. According to the petitioners, it is by now settled by a catena of judgments that all minorities, linguistic or rel