Patna HC quashes appointment of six varsity heads

The Patna high court on Friday set aside the appointment of six vice-chancellors and four pro-vice-chancellors made by Bihar governor Devanand Konwar in his capacity as chancellor of universities more than a year ago.

The Patna high court on Friday set aside the appointment of six vice-chancellors and four pro-vice-chancellors made by Bihar governor Devanand Konwar in his capacity as chancellor of universities more than a year ago.

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The appointments set aside include that of Patna University V-C Shambhunath Singh.

The court also set a deadline of one month for the process of new appointments to be completed.

A division bench comprising chief justice Rekha M Doshit and justice A Amanullah passed the order scrapping the appointments on the ground that the chancellor had made them without consulting the state government as required by law.

Education minister PK Shahi said the law had been upheld by the order. “I have not seen the order. Once I see it, I will be able to speak about the road ahead. But I am happy that the decision has come,” he said.

Governor Konwar could not be contacted as he was in Delhi. He is expected to be back on Sunday. “The governor is aware of the order but he has not got the signed copy. He himself is a lawyer. He has said he will comment only after seeing the order. He is, after all, the appointing authority,” said an official close to Konwar.

Konwar had made the appointments in August 2011. But soon after the announcement, education minister Shahi said he was not consulted on the matter.