Inter-Church Council, the association of Christian college management’s, has approached the High Court challenging the restrictions imposed by law on their power to select and appoint college principals.
The court on Thursday ordered urgent notice on the writ petition.
According to the petitioner, the provisions in various university acts relating to the selection and appointment of principals of colleges affiliated to Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi, Calicut and Kannur universities are violative of the fundamental rights guaranteed to them under Article 30(1) of the Constitution of India.
As per the existing law, the senior-most teacher in a college should be appointed as the principal.
The petitioner seeks to declare that the provisions of various university acts in this regard are ultra vires and unconstitutional since they curtail the rights of Christian minority institutions under the Article.
The petitioner also seeks a declaration that Christian minority educational institutions receiving aid from the State cannot be regarded as ‘State’ or ‘other authorities’ as defined in Article 12 of the Constitution of India.