M.I.E.T.ENGINEERING COLLEGE Vs. REGISTRAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Since the relief sought for in all the four writ petitions is identical, they were heard together and are being disposed of by this common order.

(2.) Heard Mr. V. Selvaraj, learned counsel for Mr. B. Rabu Manohar, learned counsel for the petitioner in W. P. Nos. 13596, 13597 and 14551 of 2016; Ms. V. Pavithra, learned counsel for Mr. R. Natarajan, learned counsel for the petitioner in W. P. No. 26823 of 2016; Ms. Narmadha Sampath, learned Additional Advocate General assisted by Mr. M. Vijayakumar, learned counsel for the first and second respondent- University in W. P. Nos. 13596, 13597 and 14551 of 2016 and for the second respondent-University in W. P. No. 26823 of 2016; and Mr. L. P. Shanmugasundaram, learned Special Government Pleader for the second respondent-University in W. P. No. 26823 of 2016.

(3.) The petitioners are Engineering Colleges, which have been affiliated to the Anna University of Technology, Chennai. The petitioners have impugned the orders passed by the respondent-University, dated 09. 02. 2016, by which a sum of Rs. 36,80,000/- has been imposed as fine on the petitioner-MIET; Rs. 70,40,000/- on Jayaram College of Engineering and Technology; Rs. 11,20,000/- on Kings College of Engineering; and Rs. 62,40,000/- on M. A. M. College of Engineering for admitting students in the M. E. /M. Tech. , Post Graduate programmes as regular students while they were simultaneously working in the Institutions. The respondent- University issued show cause notices calling upon the petitioners to submit their explanation with regard to the tentative decision of the Syndicate of the respondent-University. The annexure to the show causes notice contained the decision of the Syndicate, which stated that an enquiry was conducted on 9th, 10th, 26th and 27th of September, 2013 at the Regional Office of the Anna University, Coimbatore, in connection with some of the Faculty Members working with the petitioner-Institutions or some other institutions are simultaneously pursuing Post Graduate M. E. , Programme in the petitioner-Institutions for the academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11 against the Regulations of the respondent-University. The list of faculty members/students was enclosed along with the show cause notice.