Limited power to state over varsities
The Madras high court has held that the executive orders of the state will prevail over the statutes or enactments made by the legislature only when they have gaps and declared as ultra vires to the provisions of the Universities Act the state government order on the service conditions of the varsity employees.
Justice V. Dhanapalan said any executive order must be in conformity with the rules, referring to the argument of advocate general A. Navaneethakrishnan that the order has been passed invoking the executive power of the state under Article 162 of the Constitution.
The order defines service conditions, appointment and pay scales of non-teaching staff of varsities, which were covered by the existing rules of the universities.
Therefore, the question of filling up gaps does not arise at all for the state government, said the judge.“If the administration of varsities is allowed to be interfered with by the executive according to its whims and fancies, it would tantamount to usurping the powers of the authorities vested with such powers. Besides, it would defeat the very object of the statutes,” the judge said.
Post new comment