Dr MAM Ramaswamy, the Pro-Chancellor of Annamalai University, has moved the Madras High Court, challenging the Annamalai University Act, 2013, issued by the Higher Education Secretary, which sought to remove the rights conferred on him.
His interim prayer was to restrain the authorities concerned from interfering with his right to enjoy the privileges conferred on him under the Annamalai University Act, 1929. The first bench of Acting Chief Justice RK Agrawal and Justice M Sathyanarayanan, before which the writ petition came up for hearing on Thursday, ordered notice to the authorities concerned, returnable by November 11.
According to petitioner, he was appointed as the Pro-Chancellor of the University by the Chancellor as he was the adult male member from the founder’s family in accordance with the Annamalai University Act, 1929. The 2013 Act was issued to besmirch his reputation without providing any opportunity for defending the same, thereby violating his right to life and personal liberty enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution. He contended that due to the change in the public policies, the University’s expenditure had increased manifold.