The Kerala High Court on Friday allowed a convict undergoing life imprisonment at central prison, Kannur, to join a three-year LLB course at a law college in Malappuram.
The court passed the order while allowing a petition filed by convict, Karuvangadan Mukthar, alias Muthu, seeking a directive to complete the admission process. According to his petition, while undergoing incarceration, he had appeared for the entrance examination for the three-year law course and cleared it. He was allotted a seat and directed to appear at the KMCT Law College, Kuttippuram, Malappuran, on September 11, 2023. However, since he was not granted leave, he could not join the college. When the petition came up last time, the court had directed the college to keep a seat vacant.
Opposing the plea, the college management submitted that granting admission to a convict will affect the discipline of the college. Besides, UGC (Open and Distant Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulation, 2020, prohibited offering law course in the online mode, it contended.
The court observed that when a prisoner had expressed his willingness to undergo a course of study, especially that of law, it creates an opportunity for reforming the individual and may enable him to come back to society upon his release, if it happens. The court ordered that neither the university concerned nor the college shall raise any technicalities in granting admission to the petitioner due to the delay in completing the admission process, as a seat had been kept vacant.
While ordering to complete the admission process online, the court also said that if in case the presence of the petitioner is required the Superintendent of the prison should arrange an escort leave for the petitioner on the date of interview.
