The first bench of the Madras High Court has stayed till September 10 the operation of an interim order of a single judge permitting Vanishree J to work as an Assistant Professor in the Indian Maritime University (IMU) in Uthandi.
The bench of Acting Chief Justice R K Agrawal and Justice M Sathyanarayanan granted the injunction last week, while passing interim orders on writ appeals from the V-C and Registrar of the IMU challenging the order dated July 23 last of Justice D Hariparanthaman.
Originally, Vanishree worked as Assistant Professor in IGNOU. She applied for the post of Assistant Professor in Management in IMU in Chennai and was selected. She resigned her job with IGNOU and joined duty with IMU on February 1 this year. But the IMU did not permit her to join duty. Later on, the appointment order was cancelled by the IMU on June 16 last. Challenging this, she filed a writ petition and Justice Hariparanthaman pas-
sed an interim order on July 23 restraining IMU from filling up the post, and directed IMU to permit her to work. Aggrieved, IMU preferred the present appeal.
Appellant’s senior counsel R Viduthalai submitted that the interim order of the single judge amounted to virtually allowing Vanishree’s writ petition without hearing the appellants. Hence it must be stayed, he argued.
A perusal of the averment made by Vanishree in her affidavit would disclose that she was given the order of appointment and she resigned the job at IGNOU and came to Chennai to join in the said post in IMU and at that juncture, the selections made to various faculties had been cancelled.
“In the light of the facts and circumstances of the case, this court is of the view that the interim order directing IMU to permit Vanishree to work in the IMU as Asst. Prof as an interim measure pending disposal of the writ petition, is to be stayed,’’ the bench said.