The Madras High Court has directed the Kalakshetra Foundation to file a counter to a plea by Hari Padman, a former assistant professor, seeking to overturn his dismissal following allegations of sexual harassment. Padman contends that his dismissal is unconstitutional since the related case is still pending.Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy issued the directive after Padman submitted his plea, challenging his termination on the grounds that the allegations against him are yet to be legally resolved. The court has scheduled the next hearing for July 19 and instructed Kalakshetra to submit their counter-arguments by that date.
The allegations against Padman surfaced on March 30, 2023, when Kalakshetra students accused several faculty members of sexual harassment and demanded their suspension. Subsequently, a former student who had discontinued her studies in 2019 lodged a formal complaint against Padman.
Based on the complaint, Adyar police registered a case against Padman under Sections 354(A) and 509 of the Indian Penal Code, and Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 2002. These charges encompass sexual harassment and related offenses.
In his petition, Padman argued that his dismissal from service is premature and unconstitutional given that the legal proceedings concerning the allegations are still underway. He has sought the court’s intervention to quash the dismissal order.
The Kalakshetra Foundation, a prestigious institution for the arts, is now required to present its defense against Padman’s plea. The foundation’s response will be crucial in determining whether the dismissal was procedurally and legally justified.