HC stays govt appointment of Mumbai varsity registrar

HC stays govt appointment of Mumbai varsity registrar

Hemali.Chhapia@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:22.01.2021

The Bombay high court on Thursday stayed the state government’s order of appointing Ramdas Atram as Mumbai University registrar.

Giving interim relief to Dhanesh Sawant, senate member and chancellor’s nominee to MU who had filed a petition against the government’s “arbitrary action and interference” in appointing Atram, the court ordered that the charge be immediately given back to the earlier vice-chancellor appointee, Baliram Gaikwad.

In his petition, Sawant alleged that the state “exceeded its powers” and has “ulterior motives” in appointing Atram. He claimed that the state government had earlier too tried to usurp powers and encroach upon the statutory and executive powers of Mumbai University, a statutory body.

Sawant also submitted that the government’s directions asking all varsities to submit details of vacant posts, selection committees and panel members, with a sign-off asking varsities to not start any recruitment process (with the state’s nod) amounts to “overarching interference in the autonomy of universities and is arbitrary”.

Sawant said it is only because of the government resolution dated May 4, 2020, the vice-chancellor had sought the state permission on September 14, 2020, to start the process of selection for the registrar. Considering the Covid-19 pandemic, the state had imposed a ban on new appointments without its permission. After waiting for two months to hear from the government, Gaikwad was appointed.

“The petition was admitted and interim relief has been granted,” said the petitioner’s advocate Anjali Helekar.

The HC observed that although the state is empowered under Section 8(5) of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2017, to appoint a registrar, there was no circumstance shown to the court which forced the state to exercise these powers.

Lauding the HC stay, chancellor’s nominee to the management council, Deepak Mukadam, said: “...Hope they [the government] have realised that democracy is still alive. No government should venture or adventure in this way of making lateral entry in state universities in the future.”