THE HON’BLE MR JUSTICE L. NARASIMHA REDDY W.P.No.14581 of 2010 AND Contempt Case No.1279 of 2010 COMMON ORDER: The petitioners are working as Linemen in the A.P. Southern Power Distribution Company Limited, the 1st respondent herein. They are entitled to be appointed, by transfer, as Sub-Engineers, in case they acquire Diploma in Electrical Engineering. The petitioners joined the diploma course in Electrical Engineering, run by Viswa Bharathi University, Raipur, Chattisgarh, on distance mode. The very registration and establishment of the said University was cancelled by the Government of Chattisgarh. The petitioners studied part of the course in that University, and after the registration thereof was cancelled, they are said to have completed the remaining part of the course from Vinayaka Mission University, Tamil Nadu. After obtaining certificates in Diploma in Electrical Engineering, the petitioners approached the respondents with a request to consider their cases for appointment by transfer, as Sub-Engineers. They pleaded that, while upholding the cancellation of registration of Viswa Bharathi and other Universities in Chattisgarh, the Hon’ble Supreme Court enabled the students, who are undergoing studied in the course introduced by the said Universities, to continue their studies in other Universities. The petitioners contend that the Vinayaka Mission University had permitted them to study the remaining part of the course, and that they are entitled to be extended the benefit of appointment, to a superior post. The 1st respondent passed an order dated 13-05-2010, rejecting the claim of the petitioners, on the ground that there is no tie- up between Viswa Bharathi University, on the one hand, and Vinayaka Mission University, on the other hand, and in that view of the matter, the certificates obtained by them cannot be taken into account. The petitioners challenge the proceedings dated 13-05-2010. While admitting the writ petition, this Court, on 25-06-2010, issued interim direction to the respondents to consider the case of the petitioners. C.C.No.1279 of 2010 is filed, alleging that the interim direction was not implemented. The respondents filed a counter-affidavit in the writ petition as well as the Contempt Case. It is stated that the diploma certificates obtained by the petitioners are not valid. They submit that the petitioners did not study their entire course in Vinayaka Mission University, Salem, and part of the study, undertaken by them with the Viswa Bharathi University, cannot be taken into account. They further state that in the correspondence that was undertaken with the Vinayaka Mission University, it was not clarified that there exists any tie-up with Viswa Bharathi University. The petitioners filed a reply affidavit. Heard Sri Subrahmanya Reddy, learned Senior Counsel for the petitioners and Sri Lakshma Reddy, learned counsel for the respondents. The petitioners, no doubt, obtained diploma certificates in Electrical Engineering from Vinayaka Mission University and laid claim for appointment to a higher post, by transfer. The certificates issued by Vinayaka Mission University are acted upon by the respondents. Had the petitioners in fact studied their entire course with that University, there would not have been any difficulty for the respondents in extending the benefit to the petitioners. It is not in dispute that part of the course was conducted by the Viswa Bharathi University, and the recognition or registration thereof was cancelled by the Government of Chattisgarh. When the very existence of the University was wiped away, no value can be attached to the course conducted by it. After the recognition and registration of the Viswa Bharathi University was cancelled, the petitioners have chosen to continue the remaining part of the study in Vinayaka Mission University. Before the Supreme Court, a proposal was mooted in a batch of writ petitions, in which the cancellation of registration of the Universities was challenged. It was to the effect that the interests of the students may be protected, in case there exists any tie-up between the University, the registration of which is cancelled, and another University, which is functioning according to law. There is some uncertainty as to whether the Hon’ble Supreme Court accorded its approval for such a course of action. Assuming that a facility was available, the petitioners could have got any relief, if only there existed any tie-up between the two Universities, referred to above. Even to a specific query to Vinayaka Mission University, as to whether there exists such an arrangement, there is no positive response. The inescapable conclusion is that the certificates obtained by the petitioners cannot be acted upon, by the respondents. Therefore, no exception can be taken to the impugned proceedings. The writ petition is accordingly dismissed. As a result, the Contempt Case is also closed. There shall be no order as to costs. _______________________ L. NARASIMHA REDDY, J. Dt.19-09-2011. KO