Sreena S., Headmaster in Charge of K.V. Kumaran Vaidya Memorial U.P. School, Cheriazheekal, Karunagapally, filed WP(C) No. 8670 of 2023 before the Kerala High Court challenging orders passed by the Assistant Educational Officer and the State of Kerala (General Education Department) concerning her appointment and service matters. The exhibits on record indicate a chain of proceedings: an appointment order dated 13.03.2018, a representation before the Assistant Educational Officer dated 24.11.2021, an order by the AEO dated 10.02.2022, a revision before the State dated 16.03.2022, and ultimately G.O.(P) No. 1612/2023/GEDN dated 28.02.2023 issued by the first respondent.\n\nWhen the matter came up for admission on 09.02.2024, the learned counsel for the petitioner filed a "not press memo", indicating that the petitioner chose not to pursue the writ petition. The Court accordingly dismissed the writ petition as not pressed, without adjudicating the merits.\n\nNo substantive legal question was decided; the dismissal is purely on account of the petitioner's withdrawal and carries no precedential value on the underlying service dispute.
Sreena S. v. State of Kerala
Single judge · Justice Mohammed Nias C.P.
Why it matters
ListenThis order has no precedential value on the substantive service dispute; advocates handling similar headmaster appointment or educational service matters in Kerala should note that the underlying G.O.(P) No. 1612/2023/GEDN remains unchallenged and the petitioner may need to explore fresh remedies if the dispute is to be revived.
Summary
Key principle
A writ petition dismissed as not pressed on the filing of a "not press memo" by the petitioner's counsel results in a dismissal without adjudication on merits, leaving the petitioner at liberty to pursue other available remedies unless the withdrawal itself operates as a bar.
Holding
Dismissed — the writ petition was dismissed as not pressed consequent upon the not press memo filed by the petitioner's counsel, with no adjudication on the merits of the underlying service dispute.