Govt to approach SC against Kerala HC order

Thiruvananthapuram, July 29 (UNI) Faced with a setback in the Self-Financing college issue, the Kerala Government today decided to file an appeal in the Supreme Court against the High Court order allowing the college managements to go ahead with their selection process for admitting students to 50 per cent management quota for this academic year.

Talking to newspersons here, Education Minister M A Baby said the admission of students to these colleges would be based on the judgement of the Supreme Court.

The state government was likely to file an appeal in the apex court on July 31.

A single bench of the High Court had turned down the request of the government on July 18 to admit students on the basis of the recently enacted Kerala Self-Financing Regulation Act of 2006. With the division bench also upholding the order, the government would have to either admit students on the basis of the HC order or challenge the decision in the apex court.

Since it was a politically sensitive issue, the Left Democratic Front Government has no other option but to approach the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress urged the government to settle the issue through negotiations. Congress leader M M Hassan said a consensus should be arrived at to settle the issue without allowing it to be prolonged further and thereby helping the college lobby from the neighbouring states.

Terming the HC verdict as unfortunate, CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said it was right on the part of the government to file an appeal against the order which was not helpful in admitting students on the basis of social justice and merit.

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