Madurai Bench admits Writ restraining MKU from holding convocation

Madurai, Tamil Nadu, Jan 3 (UNI) The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court today admitted a writ petition seeking to grant interim injunction, restraining the Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) from holding the 41st annual convocation on January 5, 2008, as the varsity had violated many guidelines of the Government Order.

The petitioner M Paraman, Senate member of the varsity, prayed to the court to call for items incorporated in the 'form of procedure' for the 41st annual convocation of the university and also to direct the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar of the university to conduct a fresh convocation in conformity with the provisions of the MKU Act and Statutes.

Justice S Nagamuthu directed the varsity to file their affidavits regarding the objections raised by Mr Paraman and asked him to specifically mention which all provisions had been violated when the Syndicate passed resolutions.

The petitioner submitted that Government had fixed guidelines with regard to conferment of honorary degrees and conduct of convocation by an order in 1994 and the same had been passed as a resolution by the university also.

As per the guidelines, Controller of Examination should not participate in the academic procession and also should not sit on the dais. Besides, the Controller had been permitted to affix his signature in the degree certificates, which was also against the guidelines.

The Vice-Chancellor had suo moto sought the concurrence with regard to conferring degrees to four specified dignitaries, which was also clear violation of the statutes of the university.

Selecting the persons for conferment of the honorary degree arbitrarily without the consent of the Senate and Syndicate was not proper and the act was a mockery, which would pull down the esteem of the varsity, he said.

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