Annamalai University teachers challenge transfer

The summer vacation Judge Justice SM Sunbramaniam before whom the petition came up for hearing on Thursday, on admitting the plea directed the Secretary, Higher Education Department to file a counter returnable by June 5. The Judge also directed the Secretary to file details pertaining to the number of vacancies available in government universities. 

The petitioners including R Lakshmi Krishnan of Chidambaram had contended that they were appointed as Assistant Professors in Physical Education and Sports Sciences in Annamalai University and have been working there for over a decade. Stating that their appointments are governed by the UGC provisions, the petitioners contended that their present appointment in govt polytechnics which is a non-academic post would not only take away their service rights but also result in their career being affected. They also sought for a direction to appoint them in the existing vacancies available in various government universities and colleges.