Bar Council Of Tamil Nadu And Puducherry, v. University Grants Commission,
2024:MHC:2441
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 18-06-2024
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE S.M. SUBRAMANIAM And THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE C.KUMARAPPAN And WMP Nos.34867 and 34869 of 2019 Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Represented by its Secretary, Bar Council Building, High Court Campus, Chennai-600 104.
.. Petitioner -vs1.University Grants Commission, Represented by its Chairman, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110 002.
2.Thiruvalluvar University, Represented by its Registrar (Eval), Serkadu, Vellore-632 115.
3.University of Madras, Represented by its Registrar (Eval), Chepauk, Chennai-600 005.
4.Alagappa University, Represented by its Registrar (Eval), Karaikudi-630 003.
5.Vinayaka Missions University, Represented by its Registrar (Eval), Kochi Highway, Ariyanur, Salem-636 308.
6.Bharathiyar University, Represented by its Registrar (Eval), Palkalai Nagar, Madurai-625 021.
7.Madurai Kamaraj University, Represented by its Registrar (Eval), Palkalai Nagar, Madurai-625 021.
8.Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences (Deemed to be University), Represented by its Registrar (Eval), Karunya Nagar, Coimbatore-641 114.
9.Annnamalai University, Represented by its Assistant Registrar (Exams), Annamalai Nagar-608 002, Chidambaram.
10.Bharathidasan University,
Represented by its Registrar (Eval), Palkalai Perur, Tiruchirapallai-620 024.
11.Anna University, Represented by its Registrar (Eval), Chennai-600 025.
12.The Tamil Nadu Dr.MGR Medical University, Represented by its Registrar (Eval), No.69, Anna Salai, Guindy, Chennai-600 032.
13.Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Represented by its Registrar (Eval), Abishekapatti, Tirunelveli-627 012.
14.Acharya Nagarjuna University, Represented by its Registrar (Evaluation), Nagarjuna Nagar-525 510, Guntur.
15.Rayalaseema University, Represented by its Registrar (Evaluation), Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh-518 007.
16.Osmania University, Represented by its Registrar (Evaluation), Hyderabad-500 007.
17.Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Represented by its Registrar (Evaluation), Anantapur-515 003, Andhra Pradesh.
18.Andhra University, Represented by its Registrar (Evaluation), Visakapattinam, Andhra Pradesh.
19.Sri Venkateshwara University, Represented by its Registrar (Evaluation), Tirupati-517 502.
20.Mysore University, Represented by its Registrar (Evaluation), University Building, Mysore-570 012, Karnataka.
21.Karnataka State Law University, Represented by its Registrar (Evaluation), Nava Nagar, Hubli-580 025, Karnataka State.
22.Mangalore University, Represented by its Registrar (Evaluation), Mangalore-574 199, Karnataka.
23.University of Kerala, Represented by its Registrar (Evaluation), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
24.University of Calicut, Represented by its Registrar (Evaluation), Calicut University (PO) Pin-673 635.
.. Respondents
Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents Nos.2 to 24 to cause verification of the certificates issued by them without charging any fees from the petitioner, for the purpose of enrolling as an Advocate in the petitioner Bar Council.
For Petitioner :
Mr.C.K.Chandrasekkar For Respondent-1 :
Mr.B.Rabu Manohar, Senior Panel Counsel.
For Respondent-2 :
Mr.M.C.Swamy For Respondent-3 :
Mr.M.Palanimuthu For Respondent-5 :
Mr.P.Sivaprakash For Respondent-6 :
Mr.C.Vigneswaran For Respondent-7 :
Mr.E.Martin Jayakumar For Respondent-8 :
Mr.P.Ebenezer Paul For Respondent-9 :
Mr.S.Sithirai Anandan For Respondent-10 :
Mr.V.Govardhanan For Respondent-11 :
Mr.U.Baranidharan For Respondent-12 :
Mr.A.Mohamed Gouse For Respondent-13 :
Mr.S.Nambi Arooran for M/s.Ajmal Associates.
For Respondents-4, 14,15, 17 to 22 and 24 :
No Appearance For Respondent-16 :
Mr.A.Kalaiselvan For Respondent-23 :
Mr.Puhazh Gandhi
O R D E R
[ORDER OF THE COURT WAS MADE BY S.M.SUBRAMANIAM, J.] Mr.C.K.Chandrasekkar, learned counsel for the petitioner, would submit that the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India passed an order stating that the Universities and Law Colleges cannot collect verification charges, whenever Bar Councils sent letters for verification and to ascertain the genuinity of the Certificates issued by the Universities and Law Colleges.
2. The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in the case of Ajai Shankar Srivastava vs. Bar Council of India and Another [judgment pronounced on April 10, 2023 in WP (Civil) No.82 of 2023], wherein in paragraph-16, it has been held as under:-
"16. All Universities and Examination Boards shall verify the genuineness of the educational certificates without charging any fee for the purpose of verification. The requisitions made by the Bar Councils shall be carried out without undue delay and the reports of the verification shall be submitted expeditiously."
3. In view of the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India (cited supra), no further adjudication is required and all concerned are bound by the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India.
4. Accordingly, the present writ petition stands disposed of. However, there shall be no order as to costs. (S.M.SUBRAMANIAM,J.) (C.KUMARAPPAN,J.) 18-06-2024 Index : Yes/No Internet: Yes/No Speaking order/Non-Speaking order Svn To 1.The Chairman,, University Grants Commission,
Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110 002.
2.The Registrar (Eval), Thiruvalluvar University, Serkadu, Vellore-632 115.
3.The Registrar (Eval), University of Madras, Chepauk, Chennai-600 005.
4.The Registrar (Eval), Alagappa University, Karaikudi-630 003.
5.The Registrar (Eval), Vinayaka Missions University, Kochi Highway, Ariyanur, Salem-636 308.
6.The Registrar (Eval), Bharathiyar University, Palkalai Nagar, Madurai-625 021.
7.The Registrar (Eval), Madurai Kamaraj University, Palkalai Nagar, Madurai-625 021.
8.The Registrar (Eval), Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences (Deemed to be University), Karunya Nagar, Coimbatore-641 114.
9.The Assistant Registrar (Exams), Annnamalai University, Annamalai Nagar-608 002, Chidambaram.
10.The Registrar (Eval), Bharathidasan University, Palkalai Perur, Tiruchirapallai-620 024.
11.The Registrar (Eval), Anna University, Chennai-600 025.
12.The Registrar (Eval), Tamil Nadu Dr.MGR Medical University, No.69, Anna Salai, Guindy, Chennai-600 032.
13.The Registrar (Eval), Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Abishekapatti, Tirunelveli-627 012.
14.The Registrar (Evaluation), Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagarjuna Nagar-525 510, Guntur.
15.The Registrar (Evaluation), Rayalaseema University, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh-518 007.
16.The Registrar (Evaluation), Osmania University,
Hyderabad-500 007.
17.The Registrar (Evaluation), Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur-515 003, Andhra Pradesh.
18.The Registrar (Evaluation), Andhra University, Visakapattinam, Andhra Pradesh.
19.The Registrar (Evaluation), Sri Venkateshwara University, Tirupati-517 502.
20.The Registrar (Evaluation), Mysore University, University Building, Mysore-570 012, Karnataka.
21.The Registrar (Evaluation), Karnataka State Law University, Nava Nagar, Hubli-580 025, Karnataka State.
22.The Registrar (Evaluation), Mangalore University, Mangalore-574 199, Karnataka.
23.The Registrar (Evaluation), University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram,
Kerala.
24.The Registrar (Evaluation), University of Calicut, Calicut University (PO) Pin-673 635.
S.M.SUBRAMANIAM, J.
AND C.KUMARAPPAN, J.
Svn
WP 34237 of 2019 18-06-2024