Authority: High Court for the State of Telangana at Hyderabad (Special Original Jurisdiction)
Order Date: 09 July 2026
Case Overview
- Parties: Petitioner – Upparpally Swarna Priya, 23‑year‑old resident of New Municipal Colony, Badangpet, Ranga Reddy District; Respondents – (1) State of Telangana, represented by Principal Secretary, Higher Education Department, (2) Commissioner, Higher Education Department, (3) Avinash Group of Institutions, represented by Chairman Dr. Avinash Brahmadevara, (4) Avinash Group of Institutions, represented by Dean Dr. Suseela Kanduri.
- Nature of Proceeding: Writ Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking a writ of Mandamus to compel Respondents 3 and 4 to hand over the petitioner’s original academic certificates.
- Background: The petitioner completed her Intermediate and B.B.A. degree at the Avish Group institutions, graduating in 2023. The fee structure for the B.B.A. program was Rs 2,55,000; she paid Rs 1,16,000, leaving a balance of Rs 1,39,000. After graduation, she applied for admission to an L.L.B. program and required her Intermediate Long Memo, Bonafide Certificate, Degree Provisional Certificate, and Transfer Certificate (T.C.) for the TS LAWCET Phase‑1 counselling registration, whose last date for document upload was 10 July 2026.
- Allegations: Respondents 3 and 4 refused to return the certificates, demanding payment of the outstanding Rs 1,39,000, which the petitioner contended was contrary to University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines and violated Articles 14, 15, and 21 of the Constitution as well as principles of natural justice.
- Court’s Observations & Reasoning:
- The certificates are personal academic credentials and unequivocally the property of the petitioner.
- The college has no authority to retain the certificates as a means of enforcing fee payment; any monetary claim must be pursued through appropriate legal channels, not by withholding original documents.
- Retention of the certificates is illegal, arbitrary, and inconsistent with UGC guidelines and constitutional protections.
Final Outcome
- The writ petition is allowed.
- Respondents 3 and 4 (Avinash Group of Institutions) are directed to return the petitioner’s Intermediate Long Memo, Bonafide Certificate, Degree Provisional Certificate, and Transfer Certificate on or before 10 July 2026.
- No costs are awarded; the petition is allowed without costs.
Topics: Education, Legal Dispute