Madras high court summons law varsity registrar incharge

Chennai: The Madras high court has ordered issuance of notice to Jeyanthi Krishnamoorthy, registrar-in-charge, Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, to appear in person before the court at 10.30 am on February 18 and to showcause as to why proceedings should not be taken against her under Article 215 of the Constitution of India and the provisions of the Contempt of Courts Act.

Suo motu initiating the proceedings, a division bench comprising Justices K.K. Sasidharan and P.D. Audikesavalu said, “We direct the commissioner of police, Greater Chennai, to serve notice on Jeyanthi Krishnamoorthy and forward the acknowledgement to this court by February 15”.

Taking cognisance of one of the contentions mentioned in the memorandum of grounds of appeal filed by the registrar-in-charge of Dr Ambedkar Law University, making imputation against a single judge, the bench initiated the suo motu proceedings and posted to February 18, 2019, further hearing of the case.

Justice S.M. Subramaniam had on February 1 suo motu impleaded 34 professors/assistant professors/lecturers as respondents to the petition filed by D. Shankar, which sought to quash an order passed by the university and consequently direct the university to reinstate him as registrar of the university.

In its present order, the bench said the petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University represented by its registrar-in-charge to grant leave to file intra court appeal challenging an order of the single judge dated February 1, 2019, impleading the vice chancellor in his capacity as the Professor of Law and other faculty members. The affidavit filed in support of the leave to sue petition was sworn to by Jeyanthi Krishnamoorthy, registrar-in-charge of Tamil Nadu Dr.Ambedkar Law University, Chennai. In the memorandum of grounds of appeal, the petitioner has taken up the contention. It is respectfully submitted that the learned judge is acting according to his whims and caprice by issuing continuous mandamus beyond the subject matter of the writ petition. The registrar-in-charge, in paragraph 18 of the affidavit dated February 17, 2019, filed in support of the petition made it clear that the Memorandum of grounds of appeal shall be treated as part and parcel of the affidavit. Therefore, ground no.9
was also a part of the affidavit filed by Jeyanthi Krishnamoorthy, registrar-in-charge of Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, the bench added.

The bench said, “The registrar-in-charge is stated to be a responsible officer of Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University. It is highly inappropriate on the part of the registrar-in-charge of a law university to make such an imputation against a learned judge of this court. The fact that the learned judge has expanded the scope of the writ petition would not give a right to the litigant to make such unnecessary comments, which is not only disrespectful to the learned judge but would also undermine the dignity and status of the charted high court. The majesty of the court must be preserved and protected at any cost. The high court is a court of record. It is the bounden duty of all stake holders to see that no damage is caused to the institution. We are of the view that the language used by the registrar-in-charge is highly intemperate. We, therefore, propose to take action against the registrar-in-charge”.