Is a writ petition under Article 226 maintainable against a private matriculation school?

Constitution of India — Art.226 — Tamil Nadu Private Schools (Regulation) Act, 2018 — Writ against a private body — Public function test — Retrenchment — Alternative remedy — Constitution of India — Art.226 — Private matriculation school — Maintainability — Held: A writ petition under Art.226 is not maintainable against a private matriculation school, the aggrieved person being at liberty to approach the civil court or the competent authority under the Code. (¶6, 8) Constitution of India — Art.226 — Public function test — Regulation is not a public duty — Held further: Mere regulation of a private body by a statutory authority does not make it discharge a public duty, and a writ lies against such a body only to enforce a statutory obligation or one of a public nature. (¶7) Labour — Retrenchment — Distinguished from termination — Held further: An order of retrenchment reducing the workforce cannot be equated with an order of termination imposing a penalty, and the procedure prescribed for a penalty has no application to it. Writ appeal allowed. (¶3, 4, 9)