E-Paper
Allahabad HC allows special appeal, quashes CAS promotion process of BHU
Petitioner says as per rules external experts on promotion panels must be appointed strictly by the executive council and not by the vice chancellor acting alone under emergency clauses
The Allahabad high court recently allowed a special appeal while quashing the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) promotion process adopted by the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, for the post of a professor in the department of dance
The bench comprising justice Saral Srivastava and justice Sudhanshu Chauhan allowed the special appeal filed by Dipanwita Singh Roy, an associate professor in the dance department who had approached the high court after a single-judge dismissed her writ challenging the CAS panel’s constitution and procedure.
The court in its order dated February 16 also set aside the selection of respondent no.6—Dr Vidhi Nagar—who was appointed as lecturer in dance (Kathak). According to the petitioner, as per rules external experts on promotion panels must be appointed strictly by the executive council and not by the vice chancellor acting alone under emergency clauses.
According to the petitioner, CAS promotions, which affect careers and future prospects, cannot by their very nature be treated as emergency decisions. On the question of expertise, the court held that a promotion panel must include specialists from the same discipline as the vacancy.
The court, while allowing the special appeal, observed, “We hold that constitution of Selection Committee is bad in law, and therefore, the selection of respondent no.6 is also bad in law. Consequently, we set aside the judgement of learned Single Judge as well as the selection of respondent no.6 on the post of Professor, Department of Dance, Faculty of Performing Arts, BHU, Varanasi. We further direct the respondent no.3-Vice Chancellor, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi to hold fresh selection.”
