Delhi HC quashes appointment of Jamia's pro-vice-chancellor

The court also directed the appointment of an officiating VC within a week.

"Since the respondent no. 2 (Eqbal Hussain) has not been appointed in terms of Statute, his continuation in the office of the vice-chancellor as the Officiating Vice Chancellor cannot be permitted further," Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said in his judgment.

The high court also directed that the appointment of the VC (officiating) and administrator (temporary) shall be done within one week from the date of receipt of the present order.

"The initiation of appointment to the post of vice chancellor regularly shall commence not later than two weeks of the appointment of vice-chancellor (Officiating)/ Administrator (Temporary) and be completed within 30 days thereafter," Justice Gedela Said in the judgment passed on May 22.

The high court delivered the judgement on a writ of Quo Warranto challenging the appointment of Prof Hussain as Pro Vice Chancellor of the university based on violation of the statute, ordinances and provisions of the Jamia Milia Islamia Act as well as the UGC Regulations, 2018.

The high court said the Visitor of the University must and shall exercise the power to immediately appoint, in an officiating capacity an eligible person as per the extant Statutes as VC (Officiating)/ Administrator (Temporary).

"This would ensure that the academic and administrative machinery of the University does not suffer or come to a complete halt. The visitor, may in the meanwhile, simultaneously, in the exercise of the powers conferred by the Statute direct the initiation of the process of appointment of a VC regularly," the judge noted. (ANI)