Jayalalithaa varsity: Madras HC pulls up TN government

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday asked the State government how the Thiruvalluvar University can admit students from Villupuram, Kallakurichi, and Cuddalore districts to postgraduate courses without amending or repealing the law passed for the establishment of Dr J Jayalalithaa University. The court raised this question as the three districts come under the jurisdiction of the new university; it has directed the government to file a reply by August 4.

The First Bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P D Audikesavalu made the observations while hearing a petition moved by former law minister C Ve Shanmugam, who alleged that the government was neglecting the university in Villupuram, his native district, owing to political reasons.

Advocate General (AG) R Shunmugasundaram, however, submitted that apart from passing a law for the establishment of the university, the previous AIADMK government did not create any infrastructure for the university to function. “Except for the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor and a car driver for him, nothing was allotted for the establishment of the university. Currently, it functions from an old tahsildar office,” the AG said. 

The present government decided to not waste money on the new university as the Annamalai University, spread across 2,000 acres, has become a State university, he added. The court, however, made it clear that it has to stay the operation of the notification for the admissions if the legislation for the establishment of the university is operational. 

Earlier, former advocate-general Vijay Narayan, representing the petitioner, wanted the court to direct the State government to provide necessary funds for the smooth functioning and upkeep of the university.
“Tiruvalluvar University must be restrained from operating postgraduate extension centres in Villupuram in violation of the provisions of the Dr J Jayalalithaa University Act of 2021,” he said.

According to Shanmugam, Dr J Jayalalithaa University was established in Villupuram by bifurcating the Tiruvalluvar University, following a request from him last year in his capacity as the MLA of the constituency.