Administrative tribunal stays transfer of Meenangadi school principal

 Kalpetta: The transfer of Shivi Krishnan, principal of the Government Higher Secondary School (GHSS), Meenangadi, in connection with the alcohol controversy during a school tour, has been stayed by the Kerala Administrative Tribunal.

With the interim order issued on Tuesday, Shivi Krishnan can resume duty as principal from Wednesday, pending further orders from the Tribunal.

The development comes amid a class boycott by hundreds of Plus Two students on the school campus for the past two days. The students have been demanding the withdrawal of the transfer order and have expressed their support for the principal.

The controversy erupted last Thursday when a group of parents and local residents intercepted a tourist bus carrying students and staff of the school when they returned from an excursion. They stopped the bus at the school entrance and staged a protest, demanding action against the PTA president and principal Shivi Krishnan, accusing them of consuming alcohol during the trip. The allegations were based on video footage and accounts reportedly given by students who had taken part in the five-day educational tour.

Following the allegations, the police subjected the principal to a medical examination to ascertain whether he had consumed alcohol. The test reportedly returned a negative result.

Meanwhile, a group of students held a press conference, claiming that they had never made any allegations against the principal. They alleged that the accusations were part of a politically motivated conspiracy and questioned the circumstances in which the controversy had erupted.

The School Management Committee (SMC) and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) had also expressed their support for the principal.

However, the Higher Secondary wing of the Directorate of Public Instruction transferred Shivi Krishnan to GHSS Vaduvanchal, citing procedural lapses in organising the tour. The department reportedly pointed to the failure to obtain prior permission from the Regional Office of the Higher Secondary Directorate in Kozhikode and the extension of the tour by two days beyond the stipulated three-day schedule.

Challenging the transfer, Shivi Krishnan approached the Kerala Administrative Tribunal, arguing that the action was unjustified. He reportedly submitted documents showing that an application seeking prior permission for the tour had been forwarded to the Regional Office more than two months earlier.

The principal also brought the circumstances surrounding the alcohol consumption allegations to the Tribunal's attention, pointing out that the medical examination had returned a negative result. He further alleged that vested interests were conspiring against him.

After considering his submissions and the documents produced, the Tribunal granted an interim stay on the transfer order, providing temporary relief to the principal pending further proceedings.