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The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to St. Stephen’s College, its governing body, and principal Valson Thampu over the decision to amend the college constitution to facilitate greater control of the Church of North India over the institution.
The notice was issued on a petition filed by 21 college teachers challenging the governing body’s decision to amend the college constitution.
Justice Rajiv Shakdher also issued notice to the union human resource development ministry, University Grants Commission, Delhi University, chairman and vice chairman of the college and posted the matter for April 1.
The court also directed that any decision taken by the governing body during the pendency of the case would be subject to the final outcome of the petition.
The teachers argued that the amendments approved at the November 30 meeting were in violation of provisions in the college constitution as the requisite quorum of 12 members was not there.
It said that amending the college constitution would result in completely altering its basic structure and character without the consent of the university.
It said the principal, chairman and vice chairman “mischievously sought to amend the constitution of the college thereby increasing the control of the Church of North India over the college”, and giving controlling interest to Thampu after his retirement in February 2016, and thus sought quashing of the November 30 decision of the governing body.
The plea said the amendment process “is tainted by a malicious objective of securing control of the college” to people such as chairman Warris Massih and vice chairman Alwan Massih, “who themselves are currently illegally on the governing body and aims to cover up their illegal memberships and functioning in respect of the college”.