HC orders notice to HRD Ministry, Pondy varsity Registrar

Madras High Court today ordered issue of notice to Human Resource Department Ministry and Registrar, Pondicherry University, returnable by October 10 on a plea challenging under what authority Prof Dr Chandra Krishnamurthy is holding the office of University Vice Chancellor.
Prof Dr Ramadass in his petition alleged that the HRD Ministry has not followed the due process of the statute of the University, in the selection of Search Committee.
The petitioner alleged that members of the search committee, instead of selecting a three-member panel for consideration to be appointed as Vice Chancellor on the basis of ability and administrative and social experience, among others, selected the panel members solely on regional considerations.

The petitioner alleged that the present Vice Chancellor (VC) influenced a Search Committee member through a recommendation letter from a professor of IIT Kanpur, who is also the Chairman there, "which clearly amounts to direct interference in the selection process."
He further alleged that the HRD Minister recommended the name of the VC contrary to the express stipulation in the statute provision that the panel shall not indicate any order of preference, "amounting to serious interference in the decision making process, thereby vitiating the appointment."
The President of India, visitor of the University, who is the appointing authority, ought not to have approved the panel and ought to have called for a fresh panel, the petitioner contended.

The petitioner sought a direction to authorities to show cause under what authority the present Vice-Chancellor is continuing in office and also to restrain her from initiating any action, making selections, issuing orders for promotions and taking long term policy decisions till disposal of the petition.
Justice N. Kiribakaran, before whom the petition came up, ordered issue of notice.