The State Human Rights Commission has recommended to the State Government to issue suitable instructions to the Director of School Education for expediting pending inquiry against the headmistress of Kallanai Corporation Higher Secondary School here for not allegedly disbursing scholarships meant for SC/ST students.
The SHRC has also recommended to the government to initiate criminal proceedings against the erring headmistress.
According to petitioner M. Muthuvalavan of Sivarajapuram in Melapalayam here, the scholarships received to the tune of Rs. 4.70 lakh from the government by headmistress of school in Tirunelveli Town, Anantha Bairavi alias Natchiyar, were not disbursed to the beneficiary SC/ ST students for four years since 2015.
The petitioner also alleged that Ms. Anantha Bairavi did not pay the ‘English language tuition fee’ of ₹17 lakh for 2,000-odd beneficiary students from 2015 – 2016 to 2018 – 2019 and filed a complaint with the State Human Rights Commission seeking its intervention to ensure prompt disbursal of the assistances to beneficiary students.
Following direction from SHRC, District Educational Officer, Tirunelveli, conducted inquiry into the charges against Ms. Anantha Bairavi and found them to be true. Subsequently, the DEO submitted a report to SHRC and the Chief Educational Officer.
The CEO, in his report to the SHRC, also attached seven more documents including copies of the letter he sent to the Director of School Education, Chennai, seeking disciplinary action against Ms. Anantha Bairavi as the charges levelled against her were true as per the report submitted by the DEO and the inspection report.
The CEO also submitted the proceedings of the Director of School Education, Chennai, ordering disciplinary proceedings against the headmistress under Rule 17 (b) of the Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, which is still pending for disposal.
Moreover, the CEO also sent a letter to the District Adi Dravida and Tribal Welfare Officer, Tirunelevli, that the scholarships meant for SC/ST students for the year 2017 – 2018 were not disbursed to beneficiary students as the amount was in the bank account of the headmistress.
Judge D. Jayachandran said Ms. Anantha Bairavi had not disbursed the scholarship of ₹81,000 for the year 2017 – 2018. “Since she violated human rights, Ms. Anantha Bairavi should pay compensation of ₹25,000 to the complainant who unearthed the violation.
The SHRC also recommended to the State Government to give suitable instructions to the Director of School Education, Chennai, to expedite its inquiry against the headmistress and initiate criminal proceedings against her for “misappropriation of scholarship”.
