The Allahabad High Court has directed the new Committee constituted under the chairmanship of District Magistrate Prayagraj to look into the management of Marie Lucas College, Prayagraj and file an affidavit.
A Single Bench of Justice Pankaj Bhatia passed this order while hearing a petition filed by the Diocesan Education Board Allahabad Through Secretary and Ors.
The affidavit has been filed a Member of the Committee, who was appointed by the Court order dated 08.12.2021 whereby, with a view to protect the institution, the Court felt that it was essential that a Committee compromising of three persons, namely, Vishal N. Singh, Principal, Bishop Johnson School and College, Prayagraj, Dr. Lydia R. Antony, Principal Marie Lucas College, Prayagraj and David Lucas, Principal Boys High School, Prayagraj as an interim Committee to run the institution in view of the internal disputes in between the persons, who were managing the Institution till that date.
The order itself indicates that the intent of the Court was that the lost glory of the Institution be restored somehow.
On May 16, the application filed by one of the Members of the Committee Vishal N Singh, discloses that despite sufficient time having passed, there is no substantial improvement in the manner in which the Institution is working.
The Court was informed that the students of the Institution has dwindled to 190 students and oddly, the Committee is unable to pay the salary to the teachers and non-teaching staff. A request has also been made to permit the applicant to recuse from the Committee in view of the stand taken by the other Committee members which cannot be termed as stand taken in the interest of the Institution.
The Court noted that,
Considering the submissions made in the application, however, without going into the merits of the averments made in respect of the other Committee Members at this state, it appears that the intent with which the order was passed by the Court handing over the Management of the Institution to the three member Committee, appears to be bearing no fruitful result.
Considering the internal disputes in between the Committee of Management, the interest of teachers and non-teaching staffs and the interest of the students, with the assistance of Ranvijay Singh, Additional Chief Standing Counsel, the Court tried to explore as to how, the interest of the Institution as well as the interest of the students can be protected.
In view of the fact that there is no clear authority to manage the affairs of the Institution, the Court is of the view that as an interim measure, a fresh Committee be constituted consisting of the District Magistrate, Prayagraj who shall be ex-officio head of the Committee. He will be empowered to include two other persons in the Committee as may be desired by him, preferably persons who have experience in running the institutions and are from the education department of the State.
The Court said that the District Magistrate, Prayagraj along with other Committee Members shall thereafter take whatever decisions are required to protect the interest of the institution.The District Magistrate shall ensure that the New Committee as directed above is constituted within a week from 28.05.2023. The said Interim Committee shall run the Institution for an ad hoc period of one year from 28.05.2023.
The District Magistrate, Prayagraj shall be well within his powers to admit the students from other institutions/ take necessary action as is required to protect the interest of the institution. He shall also ensure that the immovable assets of the Institution are in no way dissipated.
“The Committee of Management constituted by the Court vide its earlier order dated 08.12.2021 stands dissolved. The said Committee constituted earlier vide order dated 08.12.2021 shall cease to work w.e.f 28.05.2023.
Vishal N Singh shall approach the District Magistrate, Prayagraj to handover the requisite documents, etc. to the District Magistrate, Prayagraj who shall thereafter run the Institution in the manner indicated above.
It is made clear that no action shall be taken against the erstwhile Committee constituted by the Court order dated 08.12.2021 without the leave of the Court.
List on 05.09.2023 by which date the District Magistrate shall file an affidavit indicating the state of affairs of the Institution and the steps taken by the new Committee”, the order read.