The State government on Monday informed the Kerala High Court that the order issued by the Deputy Director of Education (DDE), Malappuram instructing school authorities to involve students in activities in connection with Navakerala Sadas in the district was withdrawn.
The submission was made by the government pleader when a writ petition filed by P.K. Navas, a resident of Malappuram, challenging the order came up for hearing before Justice Devan Ramachandran. The government pleader submitted that the order was withdrawn on November 20 and pleaded for closing the petition.
However, counsel for the petitioner Sajal P.E.. opposed the government counsel’s plea for closing the petition and submitted that despite the withdrawal of the order, some schools in the district had forced students to participate in activities in connection with Navakerala Sadas at Thalassery and Kozhikode.
The court had earlier warned Headmasters/Principals of schools against subjecting students/wards to any activities which were not part of the educational curriculum on the instructions of any of the educational officers in the district. The court had also observed that it prima facie felt that the DDE did not have jurisdiction or competence under any of the applicable statutes, rules or regulation to issue such an order.
