Sri Raghava Janakiammal Educational vs THE ADDITIONAL CHEIF SECRETARY
- Court
- Madras High Court
WP No. 44127 of 2026
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 29-10-2026
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE K. SURENDER
WP No. 44127 of 2026
CNR:{HCMA012578692026}
AND
WMP Nos. 49490, 49493 & 49499 of 2026
Sri Raghava Janakiammal Educational
And Charitable Trust,
By Its Chairman cum Secretary,
B. Rajesh,
No.9, Jayam Nagar,
M.C. Road,
Thanjavur.
..Petitioner(s)
Vs
1. The Additional Cheif Secretary
To Government,
Higher Education (E1) Department,
Secretariat,
Chennai-9.
2. The Registrar
Tamil nadu Teachers Education University,
Gangaiamman Koil Street,
Chennai-97
3. R. Balasubramaniam
..Respondent(s)
Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India for issuance of
Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus to call for the records of the 1st Respondent in
his proceedings in Letter No.efile 3239/E1/2025-8, dated 06.10.2026 and quash
the same and thereby direct the 1st and 2nd Respondents to open the online
portal to permit the petitioner institution to pay eligibility fee and examination
fee to enable the students who have been admitted in Dr. SRJ College of
Education run by the Trust to compete the academic year 2026-27 and also to
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extend the admission schedule for the college to compete the admission process
in the remaining available seats.
For Petitioner(s): Mr.N.Suresh
For Respondent(s): Mr.G.Ramdas Special Government Pleader for R1
ORDER
The petitioner is aggrieved by the impugned order dated 06.10.2026,
passed by the first respondent, directing that the B.Ed. admission process in
Dr.S.R.J. College of Education, Thanjavur, for the academic year 2026-2027, be
kept in abeyance until the competent Civil Court decides the management
dispute, as requested by the third respondent in his representation dated
29.07.2026.
2. The petitioner Trust is running Dr.S.R.J. College of Education,
Thanjavur, offering the B.Ed. programme. The petitioner claims to be the
Chairman-cum-Secretary and Managing Trustee of the Trust, pursuant to the
resolutions passed by the Board of Trustees. The petitioner's mother,
Smt.R.Analakshmi, has also been appointed as Vice-Chairman of the Trust.
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3. The petitioner would submit that the third respondent, who is the
petitioner's father, had earlier initiated proceedings seeking to remove the
petitioner and his mother from the management of the Trust. The documents
relating to such removal were challenged before the Madurai Bench of this
Court in W.P.(MD) Nos.11199 and 11200 of 2022, and the same were quashed
by an order dated 27.09.2022. The petitioner further submits that the third
respondent is no longer holding any position in the Trust and that his removal
from the trusteeship was effected by the proceedings dated 05.06.2026. The
petitioner's brother, Santhanakrishnan, is also stated to have resigned from the
trusteeship.
4. It is the case of the petitioner that, pursuant to the earlier orders passed
by this Court in W.P.Nos.36042 and 37403 of 2024, dated 22.04.2025, the first
respondent was directed to consider the representations submitted by the third
respondent and the college and pass appropriate orders within a period of eight
weeks. The petitioner submits that the scope of the enquiry was limited to the
issue of removal of the names of the petitioner and his mother from the records
of the University and the substitution of the third respondent's name.
5. The petitioner would further submit that the enquiry was completed on
01.04.2026 and the matter was reserved for orders. However, subsequently, the
third respondent submitted another representation dated 29.07.2026, seeking to
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keep the admission process for the academic year 2026-2027 in abeyance until
the management dispute is decided by the competent Civil Court. Without
issuing notice to the petitioner or furnishing a copy of the said representation,
the first respondent passed the impugned order dated 06.10.2026.
6. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that the
impugned order has been passed without affording any opportunity of hearing
to the petitioner. It is further submitted that the management dispute between
the members of the Trust has no bearing on the functioning of the college or the
admission process. The college has already obtained continuation of provisional
affiliation up to the academic year 2026-2027 and has commenced the
admission process. Nearly 80% of the admissions had already been completed
before the impugned order was passed.
7. The learned counsel would also submit that the first respondent has
exceeded the scope of the directions issued by this Court in the earlier writ
petitions and has no jurisdiction to keep the admission process in abeyance
merely on the basis of the representation submitted by the third respondent, who
is no longer holding any official position in the Trust. It is further submitted that
Section 25 of the Tamil Nadu Private Colleges (Regulation) Act, 1976,
mandates that the closure of any course or class shall not be permitted where it
adversely affects the educational opportunities of the students.
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8. This Court has considered the submissions made by the learned
counsel appearing for the petitioner and perused the materials available on
record.
9. The impugned order dated 06.10.2026 directs the B.Ed. admission
process in the petitioner college to be kept in abeyance until the competent Civil
Court decides the management dispute, as requested by the third respondent in
his representation dated 29.07.2026.
10. A perusal of the impugned order does not disclose any specific
difficulty or impediment in the functioning of the college or in the conduct of
the admission process. It is also not in dispute that nearly 80% of the admissions
had already been completed before the impugned order was passed.
11. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that the
petitioner was not put on notice before the impugned order was passed and that
the first respondent has proceeded solely on the basis of the representation
submitted by the third respondent.
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12. In the considered view of this Court, the internal disputes among the
members of the Trust cannot, by themselves, constitute a ground to suspend or
keep the admission process in abeyance, particularly when such disputes have
not been shown to have any impact on the functioning of the college. The
educational interests of the students cannot be prejudiced on account of disputes
relating to the management of the Trust.
13. Therefore, the admission process for the B.Ed. programme in
Dr.S.R.J. College of Education, Thanjavur, for the academic year 2026-2027,
shall be permitted to continue.
14. However, the first respondent is directed to conduct an enquiry into
the representation dated 29.07.2026 submitted by the third respondent and
dispose of the same on its own merits and in accordance with law. Needless to
state, the petitioner shall be issued notice and afforded an opportunity of hearing
before passing final orders on the said representation.
15. The first respondent shall also ensure that all procedural requirements
necessary for admitting the students in the petitioner college are duly facilitated.
16. Since the internal disputes among the members of the Trust have not
been shown to have any impact on the functioning of the college, the same
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cannot be made the basis for stopping the admission process.
17. With the above directions, this Writ Petition stands disposed of. No
costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed.
K.SURENDER J.
29-10-2026
Index: Yes/No
Speaking/Non-speaking order
Neutral Citation: Yes/No
JAI
To
1. The Additional Chief Secretary
To Government,
Higher Education (E1) Department,
Secretariat,
Chennai-9.
2. The Registrar
Tamil nadu Teachers Education University,
Gangaiamman Koil Street,
Chennai-97.
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WP No. 44127 of 2026
K.SURENDER J.
JAI
WP No. 44127 of 2026
AND
WMP NO. 49490 OF 2026,WMP NO. 49493 OF 2026,WMP NO. 49499 OF
2026
29-10-2026
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