Supreme Court: The 3-judge bench of Dipak Misra, CJ and AM Khanwilkar and Dr. DY Chandrachud, JJ ordered the transfer of the matter pending before the Patna High Court, where the constitution of the Inspecting Team by the National Council for Teachers Education (NCTE) for inspection of the Teachers’ Educational Institutions was in question.
The Court ordered the transfer of the matter under Article 139A of the Constitution of India after Manish Kumar, appearing for the Bihar School Examination Board in a similar matter, brought to the Court’s notice that the question as to inspections of the Institutions in the State of Bihar was being heard by the Patna High Court and that it was suggesting removal of NCTE Chairman.
On 09.08.2017, Chakradhari Sharan Singh, J of Patna High Court had said that nominating Stenographer, Section Officer and Videographer, showed complete none application of mind, high handedness and arbitrariness on the part of the authorities of the NCTE and directed for inclusion of Union of India as party for deciding the question of the procedure for removal of the Chairman of the NCTE. It was said the persons, holding top position in the NCTE, were either completely insensitive towards the issues or were completely incompetent to hold the position, which they are holding. A. Santhosh Mathew is serving as the Chairman of NCTE. While hearing the matter on 04.09.2017, the Court was informed by Shivam Singh, the counsel appearing for NCTE, that the Supreme Court has ordered for transfer of all the cases to the Supreme Court and hence, refrained from passing any order.
The Supreme Court will hear all the connected matters on 09.10.2017. [St. Paul Teacher Training College v. State of Bihar, Writ Petition(s)(Civil) No(s). 694/2017, order dated 01.09.2017]
