K. G. Balakrishnan, J. - (1.) Leave granted.
(2.) Heard the learned counsel for the appellant and respondents 1 to 4.
(3.) This appeal is preferred by I.I.T.T. College of Engineering represented through its officiating Chairman. The Engineering College was started by a Society, by name, International Institute of Telecom Technology Society, Kala Amb, registered under the Societies Registration Act. The Society established the Engineering College at Sirmaur District in the State of Himachal Pradesh after obtaining initial permission from All India Council for Technical Education (for short AICTE) in 1997 and no objection certificate from the University and started four year degree courses in Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering and Computer Science and Engineering, with a maximum intake of 40 students in each discipline. The College sought permission to start a degree course in Information Technology and extension of approval for the Session 1998-99. For this purpose, an expert Team of AICTE visited the institution, on 28-3-1998. AICTE extended its approval on 31-7-1998 for the academic Session 1998-99 with an intake of 140 students. The AICTE (4th respondent herein), however, did not accord its approval to the additional courses in Information Technology and Electronics and Instrumentation for the Session 1998-99. The college again applied for extension of approval for the Session 1999-2000 with a request for increasing intake and starting additional courses. The Expert Committee visited the institution on 16-2-1999 and recommended Information Technology as additional course with intake of 40. After considering the said report, the AICTE had accorded approval through its communication dated 27-7-1999 for the intake of 200 students including 40 in the additional course of Information Technology subject to fulfilment of norms and the conditions stipulated by the Council. However, the H.P. University, which had also sent its team for inspection in April, 1999, declined to grant its approval and affiliation for the I.T. course. The University had also issued a press note on 12-8-1999 warning the students seeking admission to the said course. However, the students were admitted by the appellant-college on the basis of the approval granted by AICTE.;