Kurien gets a legal jolt

In a turn of event that gave Verghese Kurien breathing room, the Gujarat High Court today stayed its own order issued earlier in the day to reinstate K Prathap Reddy as director of the Institute of Rural Management-Anand (Irma).

Irma Chairman Kurien appealed for a stay on the order delivered this afternoon, after a fornight's hearing. Following the appeal, the court decided to stay the order till May 2.

The stay, however, failed to soften the blow the Kurien faction received as the court termed the controversial board meeting of Irma held on April 15 under Kurien's chairmanship as "unauthorised and business carried out in the said meeting was undemocratic in the eyes of law".

Judge Akil Kureshi also said that Reddy's termination was unlawful. The high court judge stated that evidently, the entire episode of Reddy being removed as Irma director was aimed at taking control of the institute.

The high court also observed that the interim relief to Reddy could not be refused.

Talking to reporters, one of Reddy's advocates Dhaval Dave said, "The order passed by Kurien terminating Reddy's directorship is void. With the order, Kurien should recognise Reddy as a director."