Asst profs stopped from signing register; reply sought from college

CHENNAI: A division bench of Madras High Court on Monday directed the principals of Pachaiyappa’s Trust Board to file a report on Tuesday explaining whether 254 assistant professors were stopped from signing the attendance register when they reported for duty.

Heading the bench along with Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy, Justice Paresh Upadhyay passed the direction as Senior Counsel V Prakash mentioned that the college principals of the trust prevented the assistant professors from signing the attendance register even before the order of HC was out.

It is noted Justice SM Subramaniam recently passed an order nullifying the recruitment of 254 assistant professors on the grounds of illegalities.

When the senior counsel informed the bench of the development, the judges came down heavily on the trust asking, “What made the principals force the assistant professors to leave the institute at a time when the order was not served to them.” Though the institution’s counsel informed the court that the 254 teaching staff were not prevented from discharging their duties and they were on leave, the judges did not accept the explanations.

The bench observed that the verdict of Justice Subramanian was not available even when the senior counsel for the 254 professors made a mention before the bench. The court further directed the principals to file an explanation to the assistant professors’ accusation.