Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Order on quota challenged

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Friday admitted a writ petition challenging the Government order allotting 70 per cent of the 57 per cent Government quota in eight self-financing medical colleges for filling on the basis of merit-cum-means basis.

The petition was filed by S. Saranya of Kozhikode. The S.U.T. Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram; Karuna Medical College, Palakkad; Pariyaram Medical College; Kannur Medical College; M.E.S. Medical College, Perinthalmanna; Cooperative Medical College, Kochi; Dr. Somervell Memorial CSI Medical College, and Sree Gokulam Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, gave the government 57 per cent of the seats.

According to the petitioner, the reservation of seats on the basis of merit-cum-means basis was illegal. The seats surrendered by the self-financing colleges should be treated on a par with the general merit quota seats available in Government medical colleges. In fact, only candidates whose annual income was below Rs.2.50 lakh would be considered under the merit-cum-means category of the general merit quota. Besides, reservation within the general merit quota was frowned upon as it would exceed the permissible reservation of 50 per cent.

The petitioner also sought to quash the fee structure prescribed for the general merit quota in self-financing medical colleges.

Justice K. Balakrishnan Nair on Friday quashed the government order cancelling an order dated February 22, 2006 granting permission to the Kerala Transport Development Finance Corporation (KTDFC) for regularising 106 persons working on contract and daily wages.

The judge found that the Government had violated the principle of natural justice. The Government would be free to pass further orders after hearing the employees, the court said.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice H.L. Dattu and Justice K.T. Sankaran on Friday dismissed a writ petition challenging the appointment of A. Vanikesari, wife of T. Rajeev, CPI(M) State Committee member, as lecturer in the School of Indian Legal Thought.

The petition was filed by a student of the school, Eldose Kunnappally. The petitioner alleged that she got the appointment because of political influence exerted by her husband.

The Bench has admitted a writ petition seeking to preserve the Thoothapuzha, one of the tributaries of Bharathapuzha, and surrounding forests.

The petition was filed by Bharathapuzha Protection Council. The petitioner said that the proposed Meenvallam Hydroelectric Project on the Thoothapuzha would affect the ecology of the area. Large tract of forest would have to be cleared for the project. As many as 10 waterfalls in the areas would be dried when the proposed project was implemented.

The owners of the Dhanyasree Yathri Nivas in Munnar have filed a petition seeking to appoint an advocate commissioner to assess the damage caused to the hotel by the Special Task Force. They said that despite the stay order against demolition, the officials had caused damage to the hotel.

This amounted to contempt of court. The petitioners sought damages from the Government.

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