Can government quash act of previous regime: HC

CHENNAI:  Wondering whether a policy decision of a new government can nullify the previous government’s TN Uniform System of School Education Act, 2010, a vacation bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday directed the State government to file a detailed counter affidavit on the petitions challenging its move to defer its implementation.The bench comprising Justices S Rajeswaran and K B K Vasuki on Thursday was entertaining a public interest writ petition from advocate K Shyam Sundar of Mandaveli, which prayed for a direction to the government to continue the Uniform School Education (USE) system, introduced by the previous DMK government in the 2011-12 academic year.M Seshachalam of Panruti and S T Manonmani of Poonamallee filed petitions seeking to implead themselves as parties in the case.Their senior counsel, P Wilson, contended that the policy decision of the new government could not override the 2010 Act. The decision could not nullify the judgment of the Madras High Court passed in April last year, which upheld the Act. He also pointed out that over Rs 200 crore had already been spent for printing school textbooks.Advocate General A Navaneethakrishnan submitted that USE was against the future generation. The State government could not compel the students to undergo a particular system of education, he said. It was injurious to the public health, he added.“The object of the (2010) Act is very clear. All the eminent people, after detailed discussions and deliberations, have recommended the uniform syllabus and it cannot be thrown out,” the bench said and directed Navaneethakrishnan to advise the government.The matter will be taken up again on June 8.