1 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 30/06/2011 C O R A M THE HONOURABLE Mr.JUSTICE K.VENKATARAMAN Writ Petition (MD) No.7068 of 2011 The Correspondent St.Joseph's Matric Hr.Sec.School Nagercoil Kanyakumari District. ...Petitioner Vs 1.The State of Tamil Nadu Rep. By its Secretary Department of School Education Fort St. George, Chennai – 600 009. 2.The Director of Matriculation Schools College Road, Chennai. ...Respondents Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for a Writ of Mandamus to direct the first respondent State Government to consider and pass orders forthwith on the petitioner's memorandum to them dated 17.09.2010 for recognising the status of the petitioner-school as a Christian Religious Minority Educational Institution. For petitioner ...Mr.Isaac Mohanlal For Respondents ...Mr.S.Chandrasekar Government Advocate O R D E R Heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and the learned Government Advocate appearing for the respondents. 2. By consent, the writ petition is taken up for final hearing. 3. The petitioner has come up with the present writ petition for a mandamus directing the first respondent State Government to consider and pass orders forthwith on the petitioner's memorandum to them dated 17.09.2010 for recognising the status of the petitioner-school as a Christian Religious Minority Educational Institution. 4. The case of the petitioner is that the petitioner School, namely, St. Joseph's Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Kanyakumari District, is one among the numerous Educational Institutions owned and administered by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kottar, which is a recognised Minority as per the judgment of this Court in W.P.No.497 of 1975 dated 24.09.1976. It is registered society under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975. The school was established as a Matriculation School in the year 1981. It is a minority educational institution in terms of Article 30 of the Constitution of India. The https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 2 Government is not providing any financial aid to the school. 5. For the purpose of obtaining a formal order recognising the minority status of the school from the first respondent, the petitioner submitted an application on 17.09.2010 through proper channel, viz., the second respondent. However, the said representation was not considered so far and hence, the petitioner has come up with the present writ petition for the relief stated earlier. 6. Considering the limited scope of the matter, without expressing any opinion on the claim made by the petitioner, the respondents are directed to consider the representation of the petitioner dated 17.09.2010 on merits and in accordance with law within a period of ten weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. The Writ Petition is ordered accordingly. No costs. Consequently connected miscellaneous petition is closed. Sd/- Assistant Registrar (T&P) /True Copy/ Sub Assistant Registrar RR To 1.The State of Tamil Nadu Rep. By its Secretary Department of School Education Fort St. George, Chennai – 600 009. 2.The Director of Matriculation Schools College Road, Chennai. +1cc to Mr.Isaac Mohanlal, Advocate, SR.No.21259 +1cc to Special Government Pleader, SR.No.21180 GH : 12.07.2011 : 2p/5c W.P.(MD) No.7068 of 2011 30.06.2011 https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/