Ex-chief of ICSSR challenges removal

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JULY 26. The sacked chairman of the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Mr. M.L. Sondhi, has challenged the July 18 order of the Union Government removing him from the Council.

Mr. Sondhi has taken the plea that he was removed from the chairmanship of the council because he had refused to toe the Government's suggestion to reorient the research council into a institution of a particular political ideology.

The petition today came up for hearing before Mr. Justice M.K. Sharma of the Delhi High Court who refused to hear it without giving any reason. It will now be taken up for consideration tomorrow.

The petition filed through Mr. Prashant Bhushan, a Delhi High Court lawyer, said the order was malafide and void as it did not meet the provisions for removal of the chairman provided in the Memorandum of Association.

The petition said Mr. Sondhi had been nominated to the post for a term of three years. The nomination could only be revoked if the chairman, among others demerits, was found to have become mentally unsound or insolvent or was convicted for a criminal offence involving moral turpitude.

The Government had removed Mr. Sondhi by an unspeaking order on the basis of a slew of allegations which it had slapped on him in a letter sent to him on March 13.

He further submitted that the letter was issued to Mr. Sondhi alleging irregular functioning of the Council following complaints by some members of the Council who were hardcore swayamsevaks of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Mr. Sondhi had sent a reply to the Government rebutting all the allegations mentioned in the letter and, thereafter, there was no communication between the Government and the petitioner, the petition said.

Moreover, none of the allegations involved any charge of moral degradation. Further, the allegations were made through an informal letter. No formal enquiry was ever conducted into the allegations, the petition said.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : National
Previous : Expedite process of filling judges' vacancies:
           Centre
Next     : Uncertainty over renewal of work permit to KIOCL