The Chennai Collector has temporarily extended the deadline for registration of hostels to January 21 after some stakeholders expressed certain doubts regarding the Tamil Nadu Hostel for Women and Children (Regulation) Act, 2014.
Till date, the Collectorate has received more than 450 applications through post, e-mail and in person.
A consultation meeting will be held with all hostel owners, associations, police, Corporation, Health, Social Welfare and Revenue Department officials at 11 a.m. on January 8 at the Collector’s office, a press release from Collector A. Shanmuga Sundram said. The Collector noted that some hostel owners had filed a writ petition in the High Court seeking extension of the deadline and the High Court had directed the Collector to enquire about the issue and pass orders within two weeks.
“An enquiry will also be held with the writ petitioners, as per the High Court’s order and a final decision on the deadline will be decided after hearing and enquiring with them. Now, the deadline has been temporarily extended to 5 p.m. on January 21, 2019,” the Collector said, in the release. After a person running a women’s hostel was caught for installing hidden cameras earlier this month, theCollector issued guidelines and set a deadline of December 31 for hostels and privately-run homes to get their licences.