HC appoints observer in medical college case

Chennai, Nov 23 (UNI) Madras High Court today appointed an observer to monitor if its earlier order directing the Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute at Kancheepuram to permit students to attend classes was being complied with.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice A P Shah and Mr Justice K Chandru gave the direction and posted the hearing of a batch of petitions filed by R Babu and 52 others, all parents of the students, for November 30.

The petitioners, seeking to stay all further proceedings pursuant to a single judge order on July four, directing the students to pay the fee fixed by the management, contended the management gave their wards attendence but did not allow them to attend the classes. The students were admitted to the first year MBBS course in 2003-04 under the government quota through counselling.

They had paid a total fee of over Rs 12 lakh each and were now in the third year of the course.

The Permanent Committee headed by Mr Justice A Raman, constituted in March 2004, fixed the fee at Rs 1.30 lakh a year for three years beginning 2003-04.

The college and other institutions moved the Madras High Court which by an order dated January 20, 2005 upheld the fee structure of the committee.

Aggrieved, the management moved the Supreme Court which on April 28, directed the committee to re-examine the fee structure.

Meanwhile, the management threatened the students asking them to pay the fee demanded by it.

The students approached the committee which gave direction to the Director of Medical Education (DME) who on June 6, directed the college not to collect fee more than what was fixed by the Committee till a final order was passed.

Against this, the management filed a petition and the High Court on July four, directed the students to pay a total amount of Rs 14.72 lakh.

The students had to pay Rs 1.30 lakh for first three months and the balance 10.82 lakh was to be paid in three monthly instalments at Rs 2.16 lakh per month. It asked them to pay the first instalment of Rs 1.30 lakh on or before July 25.

The petitioners contended since the committee was yet to re-examine the fee structure as per the order of the Apex Court, the management cannot move the High Court with a writ petition.

When the matter came up earlier, the Bench asked the management to permit students to attend classes.

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