IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE V.GIRI MONDAY, THE 15TH DECEMBER 2008 / 24TH AGRAHAYANA 1930 WP(C).No. 36773 of 2008(C) -------------------------- PETITIONER: ----------------- ANJALI.V.S, 10TH STANDARD STUDENT, FACT TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL, ELOOR,MINOR REPRESENTED BY HER FATHER AND NATUAL GUARDIAN, SUBRAMANYAN.V.P RESIDING AT MANJUSHA HOUSE, VIDAKUZHA, NAD.P.O, ALUVA. BY ADV. SRI.SAJITH KUMAR V. RESPONDENTS: ------------------ 1. STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT, DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT OF KERALA, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 2. THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTIONS, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 3. THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, ERNAKULAM. 4. THE GENERAL CONVENER, SUB DISTRICT YOUTH FESTIVAL, ALUVA. BY GOVT. PLEADER SRI.P.N SANTHOSH THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 15/12/2008, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: V.GIRI, J ------------------- W.P.(C).36773/2008 -------------------- Dated this the 15th day of December, 2008 JUDGMENT Petitioner, who is a 10th standard student and team leader of the Sanskrit drama of the Fact Township School, has approached this Court inter alia seeking a direction to the respondents to permit her team to participate in the District Level competition of the Youth Festival. There are two allegations made by the petitioner. One is that the lighting system, made available by the rival team was operated by professionals and not by students, which is in violation of the instructions in the Youth Festival Manual. Secondly, the judges were not well versed in the art of drama. 2. Learned Government Pleader, on instructions, submits that the lighting system will have to be operated by professionals and students are not permitted to operate the same. This has been followed in the Youth Festivals. It is also submitted that the W.P.(C).36773/2008 2 three judges who judged the Sanskrit drama competition were all post graduate degree holders in Sanskrit and they were competent to assess the performance. 3. The scope of interference by this Court in the relative assessment of merits, especially in performances involving drama and other fine arts, would be very limited. Learned Government Pleader submits that the marks awarded by the three judges were uniformally higher qua the team which was assessed as first, secured 253 marks, which was significantly higher than the score obtained by the team led by the petitioner, viz, 239. For all these reasons, I do not find any grounds to interfere in the writ petition. Accordingly, the same is dismissed. V.GIRI, Judge mrcs