Date:31/08/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/08/31/stories/2005083102890300.htm

Back IRMA case: HC quashes order sacking Director Reddy

Our Bureau

Ahmedabad , Aug. 30

THE Gujarat High Court has quashed the termination of Prof K. Pratap Reddy as the Director of the Institute of Rural Management (IRMA), Anand and pulled up Dr Verghese Kurien for his conduct.

Mr Justice M.R. Shah of the Gujarat High Court on Tuesday delivered the final judgment in the intensely fought legal battle between Dr Kurien and his former protégé Prof Reddy.

The judge termed the termination of the IRMA Director as "null and void."

Professor L.K. Vaswani, who had been appointed by Dr Kurien as the Director after he "replaced" Prof Reddy, told Business Line that he would appeal against the order before a division bench. Interestingly, when Prof Reddy had first gone to the High Court, a single judge bench granted him interim relief on April 20. Later, a division bench gave interim relief to Dr Kurien's camp on June 28 and today a single judge has again turned that order.

Asked who would attend office as Director on Wednesday, Prof Vaswani said, "As per our knowledge, the order has not been signed till evening. We will come to know only when we get the order." Prof Reddy's counsel, Mr Dhaval Shah, said the court has upheld his client's basic contention that the Director of IRMA is appointed by the board of governors of the institute and the Chairman, in his individual capacity, does not have the authority to terminate him.

Mr Shah also said Dr Kurien's conduct had come in for "severe criticism" in the High Court.

Meanwhile, Prof Reddy's term as Director comes to an end on September 2, unless the IRMA board gives him an extension, Mr Shah said. When contacted, Dr Kurien's office said he would comment only after he gets a copy of the order. But both Prof Reddy and Dr Kurien had earlier said they will fight till the end as it involved their prestige.