Petitioners seek record of govt undertaking

Finding the Supreme Court order upholding the decision to cut fees at the Indian Institutes of Management bereft of the Centre's undertaking to not interfere with its administration and to provide adequate funds, the petitioners who had challenged the decision have moved the court requesting recording of the promise.

The petitioners, Advocate Sandeep Parikh and two IIM alumni, have filed the application through Advocate P H Parekh saying the order passed by the apex court on February 27 disposing of their plea did not record the undertaking given by the government.

The application was likely to be listed for hearing before a Bench headed by Chief Justice V N Khare on Friday, Parekh said.

The applicants have sought recording of two undertakings from the government: that it had no intention to interfere with the autonomy of these institutions and that it should make available funds to the IIMs as and when necessary, to cope with the shortfall of funds arising from the reduction of fees from Rs 1.5 lakh per year to Rs 30,000.

In case the government was not willing to give these undertakings, the court should recall its order and restore the petitions for hearing on merit, they said.