Set up toll-free numbers to file sexual abuse plaints, State told High

Noting that the court was recording the growing instance of sexual harassment in schools, colleges and universities “with great main”, Justice S M Subramaniam directed the State to display the toll-free telephone numbers and the details of authorities in the notice board of all the schools and other educational institutions across the State in bold letters. It should be placed in a visible place, which would be accessible to students, parents and public.

The judged observed that even school children were not being spared from sexual harassment and pulled up authorities for not showing any sensitiveness towards the issue. “The authorities are pretending to be sensitive when they are not. If at all the genuineness in sensitiveness is to be established, consistent and constant actions are to be initiated. But no such actions are initiated. Contrarily, they are closing the issues bytaking actions in selectcases alone,” Justice Subramaniam said.

Also, lamenting that it was unfortunate that only very few cases are reported in public domain while a large number of such cases were buried on extraneous considerations, the judge felt that the activities in schools should be monitored notonly by educational authorities but also by parents and enable them register a complaint in a toll-free telephone number.

Based on this, Justice Subramaniam directed the State to provide such tool-free numbers within eight weeks. He also held that the complaints registered through such telephone numbers ought to be attended immediately by the designated authorities, and swift action initiated within 24 hours from the time of its registration.

Two teachers who faced the wrath of the Madras High Court for indulging in frivolous litigations over their transfer have been directed to plant 50 saplings within the campus of the schools where they are posted.

Justice S M Subramaniam passed the direction while disposing a plea moved by R Renganathan, a teacher seeking to quash his transfer from SRP Ammani Ammal Girls Higher Secondary School in RS Puram, Coimbatore, to another school just 2 km away. He had contended that the Coimbatore Municipal Commissioner had issued the transfer order not on administrative grounds but owing to a request from headmistress M Mallika, who was against him.

However, Justice Subramaniam held that a perusal of the facts and circumstances showed that the litigation was not only frivolous but based on personal animosity between the petitioner and the headmistress. “This court is inclined to direct both to plant 50 saplings within the school campus where they are now serving within two weeks and report the same to the Commissioner, Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation, who in turn is directed to send a report to the Registrar General of the High Court.”

Also, perusing the newspaper reports which formed part of the petition, the judge said it appeared that the petitioner and the headmistress attempted to politicise the transfer. Following this, he directed the Municipal Commissioner to an inquiry. “If such newspaper information were given at the instance of the petitioner or by the headmistress, suitable actions are to be initiated under the Discipline and Appeal Rules,” the court added.

The judge also held in his order that no writ petition could be entertained against an order of transfer in a routine manner. A transfer order could be challenged only if the same was issued by an incompetent authority and it were in violation of statutory rules that are in force.