A single-judge bench of the High Court ordered the interim suspension of G.O. MS No.23 through which the government sought to restrict the intake of all private junior colleges to 360 except those having a permanent affiliation subject to the availability of infrastructure and staff, for four weeks with effect from October 21.
Justice D. Ramesh was hearing the writ petitions filed by Kolli Brahmaiah, president of the Central Andhra Junior College Managements’ Association, Atmakur (Nellore) and V. Srinivasa Durga Prasad, correspondent of Sai Geethanjali Junior College, Bapulapadu (Krishna district).
The judge observed that though the impugned G.O. was issued to make an amendment to G.O. MS No.114 and there was no dispute about the scheme (of imposing curbs on the intake of private junior colleges) formulated as per the directions of the High Court, there was no reason mentioned in the controversial G.O.s for the imposition of restrictions leaving out government colleges, aided private colleges and private junior colleges having a permanent affiliation.
The court, therefore, directed the government to place the G.O. under suspension. The petitioners contended that reducing the intake of only private junior colleges from 792 to 360 was discriminatory and it would exert tremendous pressure on students in the present situation when all those who appeared in the 10th class were declared as passed in the examinations.