MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently imposed Rs 50,000 cost on an educational institution for its continued absence from court despite being served with notice and given enough adjournments.
Justice CV Karthikeyan passed the order on a petition filed by a woman, who changed her name and published it in newspapers and gazette, seeking correction of her name in educational certificates.
The judge noted that the institution, Vinayaka Mission's Research Foundation (Deemed to be University) of Salem, had been served notice in the case on January 13, 2022. But they did not appoint any counsel to represent them before the court, he added. In the communication issued on October 8, 2021, which was challenged by the petitioner, the institution had advised the petitioner to get an order from the court for the name correction, the judge pointed out and said, "After giving that particular advice, which was quite unnecessary, the fourth respondent (varsity) should have ensured that they at least appear before this court."
He directed the institution to issue fresh certificates to the petitioner, in her new name, on or before May 31, 2023. "Owing to the fact that there was no representation on behalf of the respondents 4-6 (the varsity), it would only be appropriate that the dignity of the judicial proceedings are upheld and costs are imposed," the judge observed and directed the institution to pay Rs 50,000 to the High Court Legal Services Committee (HCLSC) of the Madurai Bench before May 31, adding that if the cost is not paid by then, the member secretary of HCLSC should intimate the same to the Salem collector to take necessary action to recover the amount from the institution.