NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday listed for hearing on May 29 an appeal by professor Eqbal Hussain challenging a single judge’s order quashing his appointment as the pro-vice-chancellor and subsequently as the officiating vice-chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia.
The hearing was deferred after Justice Rekha Palli, heading a division bench also comprising Justice Saurabh Banerjee, recused herself and directed that the matter be listed for hearing before another bench on Wednesday.
The single judge of the high court had on May 22 quashed the appointment of Hussain as the pro-vice chancellor and subsequently as officiating vice chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, holding the appointments were not made in conformity with the relevant statute. “Since the respondent no 2 (professor Hussain) has not been appointed in terms of the Statute, his continuation in the office of Vice Chancellor as the Officiating Vice Chancellor cannot be permitted further,” the single judge bench ordered.
It had, however, directed that to ensure the academic and administrative machinery of the university does not suffer or come to a complete halt, a fresh appointment to the post of officiating vice-chancellor be made within a week. “The initiation of appointment to the post of V-C on regular basis shall commence not later than two weeks of the appointment of V-C/ administrator and be completed within 30 days,” it had said.
The court had also asked the ‘Visitor’, the President of India, to order the initiation of the process of appointing a regular V-C.