HC seeks Punjab’s response on vacancies in education tribunal

HC has directed the Punjab government to inform it about the steps taken to fill the vacant and soon-to-be-vacant posts before the next hearing scheduled on July 8

The Punjab and Haryana high court has sought a response from the Punjab government over vacancies in the Punjab Education Tribunal.

The court directions came on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Association of United College Teachers. (Shutterstock)

The court has directed the government to inform it about the steps taken to fill the vacant and soon-to-be-vacant posts before the next hearing scheduled on July 8.

The directions came on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Association of United College Teachers (AUCT),alleging that prolonged delays in appointments had left hundreds of education-related cases pending for months.

According to the petition, the Punjab Education Tribunal is a three-member body comprising a chairman, an administrative member and an academic member. The tribunal is headed by chairman Ashok Kumar Verma, a former judge of the Punjab and Haryana high court, whose tenure is set to expire in June. Academic member Dharam Singh Sandhu, a retired college principal, was also due to complete his tenure in July, while the post of administrative member is already vacant.

The petition highlighted that the tribunal was not merely an administrative forum but a statutory quasi-judicial institution vested with powers similar to those of a civil court. It had the authority to hear appeals, review its own orders, transfer cases between benches and even exercise contempt jurisdiction. Its orders were final and enforceable in the same manner as decrees passed by civil courts, it detailed.

The plea pointed out that on earlier occasions, the office of the chairman had remained vacant for long periods, preventing the tribunal from pronouncing final judgments and constituting the required quorum for hearing matters.