N MANIMEKALAI Vs. BHARATHIDASAN UNIVERSITY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The writ petitioner was appointed as a Director (in the Grade of Professor) in the Department of Women's Studies in the Bharathidasan University on 18.3.2005. In June 2010, a Committee was constituted for reviewing the functioning of the Department of Women's Studies. The said Committee submitted its report on 1.2.2012. The report of the Committee was placed before the Syndicate in its meeting held on 4.2.2012. The Syndicate appears to have authorised the Vice-Chancellor to take appropriate action and the Vice-Chancellor passed an order on 4.2.2012, placing the writ petitioner under suspension. The Tamil Nadu Federation of Universities Faculty Association, Madurai gave a representation to His Excellency, the Governor of Tamil Nadu, who is also the Chancellor of the University, against the suspension of the writ petitioner. The petitioner herself also addressed a representation on 7.2.2012 to the Governor.

(2.) On both the said representations, the Governor-Chancellor appeal's to have passed an order, directing the Vice-Chancellor to revoke the suspension. The decision of the Governor-Chancellor was communicated by the Secretary to Governor by a letter dated 9.2.2012. This letter contained the reasons for the extraordinary decision taken by the Governor-Chancellor. It was stated in the said letter that certain points needed clarification. They were:

(3.) Immediately upon receipt of the communication dated 9.2.2012 from the Governor-Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor passed an order dated 13.2.2012, revoking the suspension and permitting the petitioner to join as Professor and as Director in the Department of Women's Studies. But by the same proceedings, the Vice-Chancellor transferred the petitioner as Professor in the Department of Economics, without affecting her monetary benefits. On the same day, the Registrar passed an order giving effect to the transfer of the petitioner to the Department of Economics.