New HC bench to decide on Mumbai varsity VC's selection

Litigations challenging Rajan Welukar’s appointment as vice chancellor of the University of Mumbai will now be heard by a new division bench of the Bombay high court. Welu-kar was appointed as VC in September 2010.

Litigations challenging Rajan Welukar’s appointment as vice chancellor of the University of Mumbai will now be heard by a new division bench of the Bombay high court. Welu-kar was appointed as VC in September 2010.

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On Friday, a division bench of chief justice Mohit Shah and justice Girish Godbole ordered the high court registry to place two PILs and a petition challenging Welukar’s appointment for hearing before another bench.

The PILs have been filed by social workers Niteen Deshpande and Vasant Genu Patil; and the petition by AD Sawant, former pro-VC of Mumbai University. They have questioned Welukar’s appointment stating that he did not fulfill the eligibility criteria for the post.

On June 16, 2011, the bench had delivered a split verdict on the petitions, and the matter was referred to a third judge, justice SJ Vajifdar. On February 22, justice Vazifdar, in his verdict, said he could not decide on the issue.