The Director Of College Education, v. Latin Catholic Fishermens Educational Society,
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 19.01.2026 CORAM :
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE M. DHANDAPANI C.M.P.(MD) No.18022 of 2025 in C.R.P.(MD) No.1951 of 2021 1.The Director of College Education, College Road, Chennai.
2.The Joint Director of College Education, Tirunelveli Region, Tirunelveli - 7.
... Petitioners 1 & 2/Respondents 6 & 7 3.The Tamil Nadu Government, Rep. By the Secretary, Higher Education (Collegiate Department), Chennai.
... 3rd petitioner/16th Respondent Vs.
1.Latin Catholic Fishermen's Educational Society, Registration No.13/78, Represented by its President Rev.Fr.Sylvester Morais (Died), St.Jude's College, Thoothoor, Kanyakumari District.
... 1st respondent/petitioner
2. Leenus (Died) ... 1st respondent 1/6
3.A.Xavier (Died) ... 2nd respondent 4.Rev.Fr.Joseph Justus (Died), S/o.Marya Pauline Nevis, (Camp) St.Mary's Church, Colachel Post, Colachel Village, Kalkulam Taluk, Kanyakumari Distrit.
(Memo dated 20.11.2023 filed on 22.11.2023 is recorded to the effect that R3 died and since he (priesthood) claimed right in respect of his membership, the question of impleading his Lrs would not arise, vide order dated 23.11.2023 made in CMP (MD) Nos.15920 to 15922, 15924, 15925 & 15927 of 2023 in C.R.P.(MD) Nos.1951 & 1962 of 2021) ... 4th respondent/3rd respondent 5.Ref.Fr.M.Stephen, S/o. Mudiappan, (Camp) St.Mary's Church, Colachel Post, Colachel Village, Kalkulam Taluk, Kanyakumari District.
6.Registrar Societies, Maruthandam Sub District, Kuzhithurai.
... Respondents 5 & 6 / Respondents 4 & 5 7.Latin Catholic Fishermen Education Society, (as claimed by 1st & 2nd respondent) Rep. By Secretary Rev.Fr.Stephen, Residing at (Camp) St.mary's Church, Colachel Post, Colachel Village, Kalkulam Taluk, Kanyakumari District ... 7th respondent/8th respondent Rev.Fr.Xavier Alexander (Deceased) 8.Amalorpavam 2/6
9.Shirly 10.Sholihaka ... Respondents 8 to 10/respondents 9 to (respondents 8 to 10 are brought on record as Lrs of the deceased 1st respondent vide order dated 29.02.2024) 11.Pushparith A Rajam 12.Alex Xavier Joe 13.A.X.Smith ... Respondents 11 to 13 / Respondents 12 to 14 (brought on record as Lrs of the deceased 2nd respondent vide common order dated 04.04.2024 made in C.M.P.(MD) Nos.3683 & 3689 of 2024 in C.R.P.(MD) Nos.1951 and 1962 of 2021) 14.The Registrar, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli.
... 14th respondent/15th respondent Prayer :
This Civil Miscellaneous Petition is filed under Section 151 of Civil Procedural Code, 1951 praying to modify the common order dated 05.08.2025 passed in C.R.P.(MD) No.1951 of 2021 insofar as it appoints the Joint Director of Collegiate Education, Tirunelveli Region as Administrator of the Latin Catholic Fishermen Educational Society and Appoint an appropriate authority, preferably the District Registrar of Societies, Marthandam Sub-District, Kuzhithurai, or any other officer under the control of the Registrar of Societies, as Administrator, to manage and administer the said Society and its institutions, in accordance with Section 34-A of the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975 and clarify that the role of the Directorate/Joint Directorate of Collegiate Education shall remain limited to academic and administrative supervision of St.Jude's College, Thoothoor, as per the Tamil Nadu Private colleges (Regulation) Act, 1976 and rules framed there under. 3/6
For Petitioner : Mr.V.R.Baskaran, Additional Advocate General For Respondents : Mr.S.Ramesh for R1 Mr.K.Thilageswaran for R5 Mr.S.Ramasundar Vijay Raj for R7 Mr.V.Panneer Sevlam for Administrator *****
ORDER
Learned counsel appearing for the Joint Director, who is the administrator appointed by the school would submit that at present, this peititon may be closed with a liberty to file a petition by the Joint Director, if any difficulties arises in the future. Recording the said submission, this petition stands closed. 19.01.2026 Index : Yes / No Speaking order / Non-speaking order vm 4/6
To:
1.Registrar Societies, Maruthandam Sub District, Kuzhithurai.
2.The Registrar, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli.
5/6
M.DHANDAPANI, J.
vm C.M.P.(MD) No.18022 of 2025 in C.R.P.(MD) No.1951 of 2021 19.01.2026 6/6