Madras High Court comes to rescue of teacher terminated 22 years ago

The Madras High Court on March 23 came to the rescue of a 40-year-old secondary grade teacher whose services were terminated 22 years ago, directing the Tamil Nadu government to reinstate her.

The state government, which could not justify her termination before the Supreme Court, informed the high court that she would soon be reinstated.

Sudha, a resident of Chennai, completed her schooling in the city and pursued a diploma course in teacher training in Kerala.

In 1992, the Tamil Nadu government invited applications from eligible candidates for appointment of secondary grade teachers. Candidates from other states were also allowed to apply.

Sudha was shortlisted and appointed as a teacher in Kadayampatti Government School, Pudukottai, on July 24, 1995.

However, she found out that the school education department had passed an order on May 29, 1997, terminating her services on the ground that her diploma had not been evaluated as it was obtained from another state.

Sudha then moved the high court.

In 2009, the court dismissed the plea as it was not properly represented by the petitioner and was based on a submission by the state that she had stopped attending school.

Sudha moved an appeal against the dismissal order.

The court allowed her appeal and directed the Tamil Nadu government to reinstate her.

Challenging the appeal, the state moved the Supreme Court, which dismissed the plea on April 6, 2018.

However, the school education department did not reinstate Sudha, following which she filed a contempt petition in the high court.

She prayed for a direction to the Tamil Nadu government to implement the apex court’s order, reinstate her and punish the concerned authorities for wilful disobedience of the court order.