Notices issued to K'taka Govt, Mysore varsity on spl fee

Bangalore, Mar 29 (UNI) The Karnataka High Court today directed issuance of emergent notices to the State Government and the Registrar of Mysore University on a public interest litigation, seeking to quash the varsity's notification for collecting special fee from non-Karnataka students.

Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Mr Justice B S Patil issued the notices after admitting the PIL, filed by the People's Union for Civil Liberties of Wayanad district in Kerala.

The petitioner contended that the investigation done by its Fact Finding Team revealed that students from outside Karnataka taking admission in educational institutions under the University of Mysore were being discriminated upon by charging a special fee of Rs 3,300 and eligibility fee of Rs 1,800. While the Bangalore University, Mangalore University and Madras University did not collect any special fee, the eligibility fee was only Rs 1,000, Rs 1,200 and Rs 200 respectively, it submitted.

It was contended that the levy of special fee at an exorbitant rate by the Mysore University was illegal, arbitrary and violative of Article 15(1) of the Constitution since so special coaching was being given to non-Karnataka students.

UNI