SC refuses to stay HC's order on TN uniform education system

New Delhi, Jul 21: In a setback to Jayalalithaa government in Tamil Nadu, the Supreme Court today (Jul 21) refused to endorse changes made by it in a state law on education to stop enforcement of a controversial school course curriculum approved by the previous DMK government.

A three-judge of justices J M Panchal, Deepak Verma and B S Chauhan refused the plea of Jayalalithaa government to stay a Madras High Court order quashing amendment by it to the Tamil Nadu Uniform System of School Education Act aimed at scrapping DMK government-approved school course curriculum.

The bench also asked the state government to distribute over 9 crore controversial text books, printed as per the course curriculum, approved by the previous government.

It, however, allowed the government to distribute the books by August 2, instead of July 22 fixed by the high court.

The bench decided to hear the matter on July 26. The apex court passed the direction while rejecting the arguments of senior counsel P P Rao, who, appearing for the state, said the judgement ought to be stayed as distribution of nine crore-odd text books was totally inadvisable.

PTI