Manipur High Court directs Prof Sumitra Phanjoubam to resume charge as In-charge VC of Manipur University and stays May 14 orders.
Imphal, May 29: The High Court of Manipur has directed Professor Sumitra Phanjoubam to take charge as the In-charge Vice Chancellor of Manipur University until the next hearing of the case, while staying two orders issued on May 14 regarding the appointment of another professor to the post.
The order was passed by the court of Justice A. Guneshor Sharma while hearing a petition filed by Professor Sumitra Phanjoubam against the Union of India and two others.
The petition challenged an order issued on May 14 by the Under Secretary of the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, as well as another order issued on the same day by the Registrar of Manipur University directing the handing over of the Vice Chancellor’s charge to Professor Ganga Prasad Prasain.
During the hearing, counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted before the court that the former Vice Chancellor of Manipur University, Professor L. Loken Singh, vacated office on the afternoon of May 7.
The petitioner’s counsel further informed the court that prior to the vacancy, the Registrar of Manipur University had issued an order on May 6 appointing Professor Sumitra Phanjoubam, described as the senior-most professor of the university, as Vice Chancellor (In-charge) with effect from the afternoon of May 7.
According to the submission made before the court, the order stated that she would continue to hold the charge until attaining the age of 65 years or until appointment of a new Vice Chancellor. The petitioner challenged the subsequent May 14 orders through the present writ petition.
Counsel for the petitioner argued that the private respondent named in the petition was placed third in the university’s seniority list for appointment to the post and therefore the decision violated Statute 2(6) of the Manipur University Act, 2005.
The court was also informed that Professor Sumitra Phanjoubam had already been functioning as the In-charge Vice Chancellor since May 7 before being removed from the position through the May 14 order.
After hearing submissions from both sides, the High Court issued notices to the respondents in the matter.
Counsel appearing for the respondents sought one week’s time from the court for filing counter affidavits and rejoinders in response to the petition.
Following the hearing, the court examined the materials placed on record and passed an interim order staying both the May 14 order issued by the Under Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, and the corresponding order issued by the Registrar of Manipur University.
The stay order will remain in force until the next hearing of the matter. The court further observed that the office of the Vice Chancellor of Manipur University could not be left vacant.
Considering this, Justice A. Guneshwor Sharma permitted Professor Sumitra Phanjoubam, being the senior-most professor, to continue functioning as Vice Chancellor (In-charge) of the university until further orders.
The matter has been listed for the next hearing on June 8.
The case has drawn attention within academic and administrative circles of the university as it concerns the procedure followed in assigning charge of the Vice Chancellor’s office during the interim period before appointment of a regular Vice Chancellor.
The interim order of the High Court effectively restores the earlier arrangement under which Professor Sumitra Phanjoubam had been functioning as the acting head of the university.
