IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE V.GIRI WEDNESDAY, THE 19TH NOVEMBER 2008 / 28TH KARTHIKA 1930 WP(C).No. 34049 of 2008(C) -------------------------- PETITIONER(S): --------------- KUMARI MUHSINA.B.S STD.X, GOVERNMENT GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL COTTON HILL, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, REPRESENTED BY HER FATHER AND GUARDIAN SRI BARIAM SHAJI, MADATHIL HOUSE VALIYA VELI P.O.THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. BY ADV. SRI.M.R.GOPALAKRISHNAN NAIR RESPONDENT(S): --------------- 1. THE DISTRICT EDUCATION OFFICER THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 2. SMT.S.SATHI DEVI, H.S.A CONVENOR, GOVERNMENT GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL COTTON HILL,THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. BY GP SRI.P.N.SANTHOSH THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 19/11/2008, ALONG WITH W.P.(C).34050/08, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: V.GIRI, J ------------------- W.P.(C)s.34049/2008 & 34050/2008 -------------------- Dated this the 19th day of November, 2008 JUDGMENT Common issues arise for consideration in these two writ petitions. Therefore, they have been heard together and are being disposed of by a common judgment. 2. I heard Mr.Gopalakrishnan Nair, learned counsel for the petitioners and Mr.P.N.Santhosh, learned Government Pleader. I will refer to the facts in Writ Petition No.34049/2008. 3. Petitioner, a minor, represented by her guardian participated in the Number Chart item under Mathematics in the District Science, Mathematics, Social Science and IT Fair, 2008-09 held on 12.11.2008. A panel of three Judges evaluated the work and declared the results. The manual containing guidelines regarding the conduct of competition W.P.(C).34049/2008 2 provides for an appeal as well. It seems that the petitioner had completed the work within the stipulated time. Normally the results of the competition would be declared on the same day. But it was declared only on the following day. Petitioner was placed in the third position with B Grade. Petitioner preferred an appeal which was rejected by the DEO under Ext.P3. Same is under challenge in the writ petition. 4. In a matter of the present nature, an expression of opinion of a group of officers who are designated as an appellate committee cannot obviously be considered on a par with the judgment of the Court or even an order of a Tribunal. Reasons have been given in Ext.P3 affirming the decision taken by the Judge’s committee. In circumstances where the guidelines are neither statutory in character nor have the force of law, even infraction of the same will not offer any cause of action to the petitioner to approach this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. For all these reasons, I am W.P.(C).34049/2008 3 of the view that both the writ petitions lack merit and hence they are dismissed. V.GIRI, Judge mrcs