PRINCIPAL Vs. AKHIL VIJAYAN

JUDGEMENT

(1.) All these matters relate to CSI Institute of Legal Studies, Parassala, Thiruvananthapuram. They challenge the jurisdiction of the Kerala Lok Ayukta to entertain complaints and grievances of the students in terms of the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act, 1999 ("the Act" for short).

(2.) The facts are not in dispute. The private respondents in the writ petitions were students of the fifth semester studying the five year law course in the said institution. After they had remitted the requisite fee for appearing for their fifth semester examination, quite a few of them were told that they would not be sent up for the examinations because of shortage of attendance.

(3.) Being aggrieved, they moved the Lok Ayukta contending that it is a case of maladministration. The Lok Ayukta, while issuing notice to the institute, passed certain interim orders, prima facie holding that it had jurisdiction in the matter. These were the subject matter of the four writ petitions. In those writ petitions, different interim orders were passed. In course of proceedings, all those petitions were consolidated and it was directed that, if pursuant to orders of the Lok Ayukta the students have appeared in the examination, then the results be declared and subject to the results, they would be entitled to be promoted to the next semester so that they can attend classes. We have listed all the cases including a contempt application, which has been filed by some of the students, wherein their grievance is that notwithstanding the orders of this Court, they are not being allowed to attend the higher classes.