The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday upheld the High Court order that termed inclusion of MPs as heads in the managing committees or governing bodies of the private schools and colleges illegal. A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, passed ‘no order’ after hearing a petition filed by Rashed Khan Menon, president of the special committee of Viqarunnisa Noon School & College, and it’s principal. Earlier on June 8, the SC fixed today (June 12) for hearing the petition filed by the government against the High Court order that termed inclusion of MPs as heads in managing committees or governing bodies of private schools and colleges illegal. Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Mirza Hussain Haider fixed the date responding to the petition filed by Rashed Khan Menon, president of the special committee of Viqarunnisa Noon School & College, and its principal. On June 1, the High Court declared two sections of the Governing Body and Managing Committee Regulations 2009 as illegal as those allow MPs to lead the managing committees or governing bodies of private schools and colleges. As per the HC order, no MP will be allowed to hold the post of chairman of the managing committee or the governing body of any private school and college. A two-member HC bench comprising Justice Zinat Ara and Justice AKM Zahirul Hoque came up with the order after the final hearing on two writ petitions filed by Advocate Yunus Ali. After the HC order, Rashed Khan Menon, president of the special committee of Viqarunnisa Noon School & College, and its principal filed a petition seeking a stay order on the HC verdict. According to section 5 of the Governing Body and Managing Committee Regulations 2009, an MP can be the head of the managing committees up to four private schools and colleges, and section 50 empowers them to from a special committee in a private educational institution. On January 16, Yunus Ali filed a writ petition with the HC seeking the court order to abolish the special committee of Viqarunnisa Noon School & College headed by Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon. Following the writ, the HC issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why the special committee of Viqarunnisa Noon School & College will not be declared illegal and contradictory to the constitution. Later, Yunus Ali filed another writ petition with the HC challenging the legality of the sections 5 and 50 of the Governing Body and Managing Committee Regulations 2009. On April 6, the HC issued another rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why the sections will not be declared illegal and contradictory to the constitution. — Dhaka, June 12 (UNB)
