HULUVADI G. RAMESH, J.

The writ appeals have been filed by the Government challenging the interim direction of a learned single Judge directing the respondents therein/ educational authorities to grant temporary approval to the writ petitioners for a period of five years to pay the salary for the teachers employed by them.

2. The writ petitions, including the writ petitions before the Madurai Bench, have been filed-

(i) challenging the rejection of approval of appointment of Teachers who did not qualify themselves with Teacher Eligibility Test and consequently, to accord approval of their appointment;

(ii) seeking approval of Teachers who had not qualified themselves with Teacher Eligibility Test and whose appointments were made prior to the prescription of Teacher Eligibility Test;

(iii) challenging the order of stoppage of salary and termination and obtained an interim direction to pay salary till five years;

(iv) challenging G.O.Ms.No.181, School Education, dated 15.11.2011 and the consequential order refusing to grant approval;

(v) challenging G.O.Ms.No.181, School Education, dated 15.11.2011 and also challenging the order of the educational authority refusing to grant approval by persons who passed Teachers Eligibility Test;

(vi) challenging G.O.Ms.No.181, School Education, dated 15.11.2011 and seeking approval of appointment of Teachers;

(vii) challenging G.O.Ms.No.181, School Education, dated 15.11.2011 and the consequential order directing the Teachers whose appointments were already approved, to complete Teachers Eligibility Test before 31.3.2015;

(viii) challenging G.O.Ms.No.181, School Education, dated 15.11.2011 as not applicable to the Minority Educational Institutions; and

(ix) challenging G.O.Ms.No.76 dated 18.3.2015 issued by the Puducherry Government.

3. The contesting respondents in the writ appeals and the writ petitioners are Teachers employed in the minority aided Schools. The writ petitioners and the contesting respondents in the appeals are working as Teachers in the minority schools, appointed as against the sanctioned posts. When the minority Schools sought approval of such appointment of Teachers, the authorities rejected the same on the ground that the Teachers who were appointed did not qualify themselves with Teacher Eligibility Test (in short "TET"). However, appointment of some of the Teachers who were not qualified with TET, was approved and they are receiving salary. Thereafter, the authorities cancelled the approval of some of the teachers. Some of the appointments were pending approval for long time, without any order of rejection. In some cases, they are receiving salary after obtaining an order of interim direction directing to pay salary to them and to qualify themselves with TET within five years. In three cases, approval of the appointment of Teachers in the Union Territory of Puducherry was not granted pursuant to G.O.Ms.No.76 dated 18.3.2015.

4. In the above backdrop, writ petitions are filed by the Teachers and minority Schools, either challenging the order of rejection of approval or challenging G.O.Ms.No.181, School Education (C2) Department, dated 15.11.2011, or challenging the order directing stoppage of salary or seeking approval of appointment, or challenging G.O.Ms.No.76 dated 18.3.2015, etc. and the present writ appeals are filed by the Government challenging the interim direction to grant temporary approval and to release the salary.

5. The main contention of Dr.Fr.A.Xavier Arulraj, learned senior counsel appearing for some of the writ petitioners is that any order emanated from the RTE Act, 2009 is not applicable to the minority Schools, both aided and unaided, as per the judgment of the Apex Court in Pramati Educational & Cultural Trust v. Union of India [(2014) 8 SCC 1] and therefore, G.O.Ms.No.181, School Education (C2) Department, dated 15.11.2011 prescribing the minim