HC dismisses petitions challenging appointment of Palampur VC

The Himachal High Court today dismissed twin petitions, challenging the appointment of Vice Chancellor of CSK Agriculture University, Palampur, terming these as "frivolous" and imposed a cost of Rs 50,000.
Dismissing the petitions filed by J S Chauhan and Ashok Mahan Narula, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Meer and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan observed the petitions are not only meritless but are frivolous and have wasted precious time of the court, adding the respondents have unnecessarily been dragged into otherwise avoidable litigations.
The court directed the petitioners to pay Rs 50,000 each as cost to the respondent university within three months failing which the university would be at liberty to recover the costs by executing this order before the court.

Chauhan and Narula had questioned the appointment of K K Katoch claiming he had submitted fraud and misleading facts and unethically claimed many research publications and achievements or accomplishments, which were totally false.
BJP leader Himansu Mishra had made a similar complaint containing the same allegations with the Chancellor.
The Chancellor had sent these objections to the administrative department for consideration which in turn appointed a committee to look into the aforesaid objections.

The court said the committee comprised persons of high repute and experts in their respective fields and looked into each and every objection and thereafter submitted its report that there was no irregularity or illegality in the appointment of the Vice Chancellor.

Thirty seven candidates had applied for the post of Vice Chancellor and the committee after assessing the academic and scientific accomplishments, recognitions, awards, their established leadership in agricultural education and research and the administrative ability candidates, shortlisted three.
The Chancellor appointed Katoch as VC on July 31, 2013.