Nondenominational Church in St. Stephen, SC

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to interfere with the Delhi High Court interim order allowing St Stephen’s College to conduct interviews for granting admission to students under the minority quota besides taking into consideration their common university entrance test (CUET) scores.

A bench of Justices A S Bopanna and P S Narasimha said any interference at this stage will create further confusion and uncertainty in the admission process.

“Taking note that the impugned order is an interim order passed by the high court in a pending writ petition, at this stage, we see no reason to interfere with the high court order,” the bench said.

The apex court also asked the high court to decide the matter expeditiously considering the need for certainty in the matter.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by Delhi University and University Grants Commission challenging the July 21 order of the high court.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the varsity, sought a stay on the Delhi High Court order, contending that the selection process is still going on.

“This is a minority institution, therefore, 50 per cent of seats are filled by minority students. No difficulty with that. The question is how 50 per cent reserved seats are filled – first, strictly as per all-India merit list, i.e., CUET.

“Last year, they wanted to keep interviews for filling 50 per cent seats, DU directed them to fill 15 per cent out of this 50 per cent seats through interviews. Interviews are always a subjective thing. Because of the HC order, meritorious students are being left out,” he said.

Senior advocate A Mariarputham, appearing for St Stephen’s College, stated that there is an interim order, students have been selected and the classes have already commenced.

The bench said at this stage, it was not inclined to interfere with the interim order.

“At this stage, there will be more confusion for students,” the bench said.

Mehta submitted in case the high court comes to a conclusion that the interim order was wrong and every admission ought to have been on the basis of the merit list, then what would happen to those meritorious students who were not selected because of this interview process.

The law officer claimed seats filled on the basis of interviews have virtually become ‘payment seats’.

The bench said the high court passed the order on July 21 and admission process has already taken place.

“It may be really late now. There will be more uncertainty. Once matter is fully settled by high court, students will know what the situation is,” the bench said.

On July 21, the high court had permitted the college to conduct interviews for granting admission to students under the minority quota besides taking into consideration their CUET scores.

It had also permitted the Jesus and Mary College to hold interviews for the seats reserved for minority category students.

The high court’s order came on the applications by the two minority colleges to stay a December 8, 2022 decision of the executive council of the Delhi University (DU) insisting on 100 per cent weightage for CUET 2023 score for admission against minority quota quota seats.

The court had in its order observed that in an earlier decision, it has already discussed the extent to which DU can regulate the admission of minority students and ruled that St Stephen’s has the right to conduct interviews with 15 per cent weightage for minority students but not for non-minority students.

“Despite this observation made by this Court in the aforesaid judgment, the Executive Committee in its meeting dated December 8, 2022 has decided that for the academic session 2023-24, admission to the Undergraduate Programmes shall solely be on the basis of CUET for minority seats also,” said the high court bench.

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The high court had said there was prima facie a complete lack of reasoning as to why its earlier ruling was given a go-by by DU and that it indicated non-application of mind on its part while making the impugned decision.

Holding that the rights accorded to a minority institution under the Constitution cannot be extended to non-minorities, the high court had on September 12, 2022 directed St Stephen’s College to give 100 per cent weightage to the CUET 2022 score while granting admission to non-minority students in its undergraduate courses.

It had, however, said the college has the authority to conduct interviews in addition to the common university entrance test for admitting students belonging to the minority community but it cannot force non-minority candidates to additionally undergo an interview.

Earlier this year, St Stephen’s College had filed the petition against DU’s notification, contending that being a minority educational institution, its right to select students for admission and administer the educational institution under the Constitution cannot be interfered with or taken away.

The Supreme Court, today, refused to entertain the Special Leave Petition filed by the University of Delhi and the University Grants Commission challenging the Delhi High Court's interim order, which permitted St. Stephen's College to admit 15% of Christian minority shortlisted candidates based on interviews.

The Bench of Justice A.S. Bopanna and Justice PS Narasimha said in its order, "Having heard the learned Solicitor General and the Assitant Solicitor General for the Petitioners and the learned counsel for the caveators, taking note that impugned order herein is an interim order passed in the pending writ petition before the High Court and also since the High Court, as per the interim order made the admission subject to the final outcomes of the writ petitions, we see no reason to interfere at this stage."

The Bench in its order further stated, "However, considering that there should be certainty in the matter we request the High Court to hear all the learned counsels for the parties and dispose of the writ petitions as expeditiously as possible. The Petitions are accordingly disposed of."

Appearing for the Petitioners, the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted "The selection process is still ongoing for this minority institution. Last year, they intended to conduct interviews to fill these 50% of seats, but the university ruled that interviews were only permissible for 15% of the seats. Interviews are inherently subjective, as even if I score higher on the entrance test, a weaker performance in the interview could lead to non-selection."

The SG also stated that "This year, our approach was to admit only minority students who are also meritorious. However, the college and the High Court objected to this. The High Court issued a detailed order to this effect. Currently, interviews are underway, and due to the 15% interview allocation permitted by the High Court, some meritorious candidates have been left out while less meritorious students who performed better in the interviews have been admitted."

The Bench then orally observed "Irrespective of whether the process is going on or halfway or it is over, we were only wondering since is an interim order at this stage, let us not interfere. Whatever is there as per the interim order the arrangement is made. You can argue your writ petition and whatever decision is taken will apply to the next academic year. At this stage, it will also be more confusing for the students if we interfere. Without saying anything, we will only say that it's only for an interim arrangement."

Accordingly, the Court refused to interfere and directed the High Court to expeditiously deal with the matter. In the impugned order, the Delhi High Court had allowed St Stephen’s College to conduct the interviews for granting admissions to the minority quota students on account of a balance of convenience lying in favour of the petitioner College.

The High Court had said "this Court is of the opinion that a prima facie case has been made that the Petitioner will suffer an irreparable loss if interim relief is not granted at this juncture. The balance of convenience also lies in favour of the Petitioner. Accordingly, as an interim measure, this Court directs that the admission policy as framed by this Court vide judgment dated 12.09.2022 shall be followed for the Academic Year 2023- 24 and the St. Stephen’s College will adopt the marks secured in the CUET with 85% weightage for CUET and the College's interview for shortlisted candidates with a weightage of 15% for Christian minority candidates. For non-minority candidates, the College will adopt the marks secured in the CUET alone as the sole eligibility criteria."

Cause Title: University Of Delhi v. St Stephen S College and Ors [SLP(C) No. 017344 - / 2023]

After moving to St. Stephen in 2021, Dan Kredensor was looking for a coffee shop and ice cream shop and found there to be neither for over 18 miles.

In January of 2022 he took matters into his own hands and began creating a business plan to share his love of coffee, ice cream and entrepreneurship with the people of St. Stephen. On June 23, Kredensor saw his plan come to fruition with the ribbon cutting ceremony of his new coffee and ice cream shop, Lowcountry Coffee Co.

Known as “Uncle Johnny’s Store,” Kredensor’s Lowcountry Coffee Co. resides in the oldest surviving commercial building on Main St. in St. Stephen.

“Uncle Johnny's store was quite active until his death in 1931,” said Kredensor. “His death along with the Depression started a chain of events where ownership changed hands many times. In my lifetime I recall it being a general store, a dress shop, a bank and an insurance company.”

Lowcountry Coffee Co. is just one of many businesses recently making a name for itself in St. Stephen. The town has seen the opening of many new businesses including a sandwich and burger joint called Freda’s, a local gun store called Lowcountry Munition, Old Town Feed and Supply and The Capital Grille and Seafood. St. Stephen will also soon see the opening of a traditional Trinidadian restaurant called Ma Gloria’s.

Along with the town’s new booming businesses, St. Stephen also holds the Catfish Festival in the Spring, the Community Festival in October and the Berkeley Showoffs Car Show in November. Additionally, the town holds a farmer’s market every Wednesday from 3-7 p.m. at Alice Park.

“St. Stephen is beginning to have a major turn around,” said Kredensor. “For me it all started in November of last year as I was able to meet with the town and propose a lease for the coffee shop and ice cream parlor. The goal after speaking with the mayor and some town council members was to create a space that could be the spark to begin to reinvigorate the St. Stephen Main Street Business District. We have also been working with Berkeley County Economic Development Office, the Berkeley County Supervisor's Office, Santee-Cooper Economic Development Office, and the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG) Economic Development Office on ways that we can continue to attract and keep small businesses in St. Stephen.”

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – (Thursday, September 15, 2022) – At its meeting on Monday, September 12, 2022, Berkeley County Council approved a $500,000 EPA Brownfields Assessment grant to help fund a large-scale revitalization initiative to greatly improve quality of life opportunities in the St. Stephen/Russellville area. Watch the full Council meeting HERE.

This grant, part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields Community Wide Assessment Grant Program, will help fund environmental assessments on properties located within a certain designated Census Tract in the St. Stephen area. With the help of community and residential input, the Town of St. Stephen—together with the EPA and Berkeley County Economic Development—will conduct up to 15 site inventories of brownfield sites, in the St. Stephen area, that could be redeveloped to provide more job opportunities and other quality of life resources for the community.

The grant has already identified two such sites: the former St. Stephen High School, which closed in 1996, and the area’s former Lumber Mill, which operated as a steam-powered lumber mill from the 1930s to mid-1960s and closed around 1970. Another goal of this large-scale initiative will be to develop a complete revitalization plan unique to St. Stephen.

Public meetings and community engagement will be critical throughout this process. More information on public meetings will be forthcoming.

“County Council is committed to improving access to resources and employment opportunities for people throughout Berkeley County. This grant will not only help fund these initiatives, but also ensure the St. Stephen community is involved in the process. Berkeley County’s success is directly related to the success of its citizens; inviting the public to the table on critical decision-making efforts like this one are what makes us #OneBerkeley.” -Johnny Cribb, Berkeley County Supervisor

“The town of St. Stephen is grateful that the EPA selected us to receive one of the 2022 Brownfields Program Grants for $500,000. We were the only municipality in Berkeley County to receive this. In countless other communities around the United States, the EPA’s Brownfield Program has had a proven track record of leveraging private sector investment, creating jobs, and protecting the environment. St. Stephen will use this Brownfields Grant to spur our town with redevelopment and cleanup projects and bring sustained economic growth. We are thankful for the support of the Berkeley County Economic Development Office and their ability to work with myself, Town Council, and the Town’s administration to write the grant proposal. We are ready to collaborate with the various committees that will be comprised of St. Stephen residents and business owners to help us continue to grow and revitalize our town. It has been well worth the wait. This is the first of many blessings in store for our great town.” -John Rivers, St. Stephen Mayor

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-Prepared by the Berkeley County Public Information Office-

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – (Tuesday, February 14, 2023) – On February 9, 2023, Berkeley County Animal Control officers responded to a hoarding situation at a residential property near Harristown Road in St. Stephen, where they discovered dozens of cats in deteriorating conditions on the property, dubbed a “Cat Sanctuary.” Cats were located living inside a rundown trailer and outside the area.

Officers seized 49 cats still alive but in poor health. An additional 23 cats were found deceased inside structures at the site. The cats were taken to Berkeley Animal Center, where 10 cats were forced to be euthanized due to their sickly condition. The remainder of the cats are in the care of Animal Center staff and in stable condition.

The shelter is seeking adult cat food as well as monetary donations for medical costs and other emergency care needs for the cats. Please consider donating HERE (enter “sick cats” under “reason for donation”). The cats will be available for adoption once they are nursed back to good health. Cat food can be dropped off at 131 Central Berkeley Drive in Moncks Corner.

“Berkeley Animal Center staff is committed to conducting the proper care necessary to ensure these sickly cats are restored to good health and receive the medical attention and affection they so desperately demand at this critical time in their lives. We know this is a dire situation and that unfortunately, not all the cats rescued from these deplorable conditions could be saved. We cannot change these cats’ past circumstances and lack of quality care, but we can do our best to provide them all they need to survive and thrive going forward. We thank our fellow rescue groups for partnering with us and sharing this same mission.” -Heather McDowell, Berkeley Animal Center Director

Additionally, 15 cats were transported to Massachusetts-based rescue groups MSPCA-Angell and Northeast Animal Shelter (NEAS), two organizations Berkeley Animal Center has been working with since last year. On the day of the seizure, MSPCA also sent staff to assist with the cats’ treatment at the shelter. Additionally, Charleston Animal Society provided a veterinarian to aid with the care.

“We needed to move quickly as the cats are in pretty rough shape. They were rescued from a dire situation and are lucky help arrived when it did.” -Mike Keiley, MSPCA-Angell Director of Adoption Centers and Programs / NEAS Executive Director

The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office has cited Suzanne Marie Melton, an owner of the Cat Sanctuary, with 20 counts of inhumane treatment of animals.

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-Prepared by the Berkeley County Public Information Office-