Response sought on plea challenging V-C appointment

Petitioner alleged that appointment was done contrary to UGC guidelines

The Delhi High Court has sought response of the Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT) on a petition challenging the appointment of its Vice-Chancellor.

A Bench of Justice G.S. Sistani and Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice to NSUT, Vice-Chancellor (V-C) J.P. Saini, University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Department of Training and Technical Education of the Delhi government on the petition.

Professor of NSUT, Sachin Maheshwari, in the petition, alleged that the appointment of Saini as the university’s first V-C was “illegal”, “arbitrary”, “malafide” and contrary to the UGC guidelines.

The plea claimed that neither a search committee was constituted nor the post advertised anywhere inviting application from eligible candidates to ensure that a person with the highest level of competence, integrity and institutional commitment is appointed as Vice-Chancellor as per the guidelines. It further alleged that Saini, who was appointed as the V-C on September 26, 2018, was facing several allegations of misconduct and irregularities.

“Even the formation of search-cum-selection committee with members as enshrined under the said notification is contrary to the UGC guidelines... No member nominated by the Chairman of the UGC has been placed in the committee and therefore, is illegal and unsustainable,” it said.