HC relief for Khilafat college

APRIL 30: The Bombay High Court, in an interim ruling on Thursday, has set aside an order issued by the University of Mumbai suspending a...

APRIL 30: The Bombay High Court, in an interim ruling on Thursday, has set aside an order issued by the University of Mumbai suspending admissions by the All-India Khilafat Committee College of Education at Byculla for the academic year 1999-2000.

In January this year, the university8217;s Academic Council had passed a resolution directing the college to suspend admissions for the current academic year, after a university-appointed committee found several shortcomings in the college.

However, in his order Justice B N Srikrishna noted that it would be preferable8217; if the management is allowed to run the college during this academic year.

The university may conduct a detailed inquiry regarding the working of the college, further said the order issued following a petition filed by Dr M A Aziz, trustee secretary of the All-India Khilafat Committee on April 23, 1999.

The management has also been directed to file a written undertaking in the court, within a period of two weeks, to the effect that alldeficiencies will be removed during the course of the academic year 1999-2000.

After the petition was filed, the court had asked for a report from university officials as to whether the deficiencies in the college persisted and whether they were serious enough to deny the management the right to admit students for the academic year 1999-2000.

Following the court directive, Dr M N Welling, Director of the Board of College and University Development gave a hearing to Khilafat trustees. On the perusal of Dr Welling8217;s report, the court noted that the deficiencies in the college did not warrant such a drastic action as decided by the university, according to a press note issued by the KhilafatCommittee.

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According to the petition, in 1998, the university panel had noted that the principal of the college was not qualified for his post, the college had failed to fill up several posts, failed to maintain proper accounts and lacked adequate space to run its classes. The college was then given four months torectify these shortcomings. Soon after, Khilafat trustees filed a compliance report to the university.

However, in January this year, the college received an order from the university asking it to suspend admissions.

Khilafat trustees then claimed that there were no financial irregularities and that the college had acquired over 2,000 square feet of additional premises from tenants through the court, to fulfill the requirements of the college. Repair and renovation work was being carried out at the premises, trustees added. They also pointed out that the college had 100 per cent results for the last nine years.