S.J.MUKHOPADHAYA, J.

As common question is involved in all these Writ Appeals, they were heard together and disposed of by this common judgment.

2. Questioning the authority of Dr.M.S.Ananth, to hold the post of the Director of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (for short, the IIT-M), the first respondent-Dr.E.Muralidharan preferred Writ Petition No.37252 of 2007 for issuance of a Writ of Quo Warranto.

3.The learned single Judge, having held the appointment illegal, the Writ Appeals have been preferred by Dr.M.S.Ananth, Director, IIT-M (Writ Appeal No.32 of 2009), Dr.Usha Titus, former Registrar, IIT-M, Director of Social Welfare Department, Government of Kerala, Kerala State Secretariat (Writ Appeal No.33 of 2009), Dr.A.E.Muthanayagam, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIT-M (Writ Appeal No.34 of 2009) and the Union of India, represented by its Secretary, Higher Education Department, Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India, New Delhi (Writ Appeal No.73 of 2009).

4. The only question involved in these cases is as to whether the appointment of Dr.M.S.Ananth as the Director of IIT-M, is in accordance with IIT Act, 1961 and the Rules and the Regu