The High Court of Manipur has appointed Prof RK Hemakumar Singh as in-charge Vice-Chancellor of Manipur University following the retirement of Prof Sumitra Phanjoubam amid an ongoing seniority dispute.
Imphal, July 31: The High Court of Manipur has directed that Prof. R.K. Hemakumar Singh, the senior-most serving professor at Manipur University, take over as the in-charge Vice-Chancellor following the retirement of Prof. Sumitra Phanjoubam, ensuring administrative continuity while litigation over the university's interim leadership remains pending.
The order, passed by Justice A. Guneshwar Sharma on Friday, modifies an earlier interim arrangement that had placed Prof. Phanjoubam in charge of the university after the court stayed the appointment of another professor as interim Vice-Chancellor.
The latest ruling comes amid an ongoing legal dispute over the interpretation of Statute 2(6) of the Manipur University Act, 2005, which governs who should discharge the duties of the Vice-Chancellor when the office falls vacant.
Seniority dispute reaches new stage
The controversy began after the Manipur University Registrar, acting on a recommendation from the Ministry of Education, appointed Prof. Ganga Prasad Parsain as in-charge Vice-Chancellor through an order issued on May 14, 2026.
The appointment was challenged before the High Court through WP(C) No. 380 of 2026 and WP(C) No. 387 of 2026, with the petitioners contending that the appointment overlooked the statutory requirement that the senior-most professor should assume charge in the absence of a regular Vice-Chancellor.
Under the second proviso to Statute 2(6), the senior-most professor is required to discharge the functions of the Vice-Chancellor until a regular appointment is made.
Court records indicated that at the time of the dispute, Prof. Sumitra Phanjoubam was the senior-most professor, followed by Prof. R.K. Hemakumar Singh, while Prof. Ganga Prasad Parsain ranked third in seniority.
Taking note of the statutory provision, the High Court had earlier stayed the May 14 appointment order and directed Prof. Phanjoubam to function as the in-charge Vice-Chancellor pending further proceedings.
Retirement necessitates fresh arrangement
The matter returned before the court on Friday as Prof. Phanjoubam retired from service at the end of July.
Although she attained the age of 65 on July 23, she continued in service until July 31 under the provisions of Fundamental Rule 56(a).
During the hearing, senior advocate H.S. Paonam, appearing for Prof. Phanjoubam, informed the court that she was demitting office and sought closure of WP(C) No. 380 of 2026, stating that the cause of action in her petition no longer survived.
The Deputy Solicitor General of India, Kh. Samarjit, representing the Ministry of Education, did not oppose the withdrawal but submitted that the legal issues involved should remain open for adjudication.
Counsel for Manipur University, B.P. Sahu, pointed out that unless a fresh interim arrangement was made immediately, the office of the Vice-Chancellor would remain vacant, affecting the administration of the university.
High Court names Prof Hemakumar Singh
After considering the submissions, Justice Sharma observed that following Prof. Phanjoubam's retirement, Prof. R.K. Hemakumar Singh had become the senior-most professor in the university.
The court directed that Prof. Hemakumar Singh should discharge the duties and functions of the Vice-Chancellor on an in-charge basis until further orders.
The order clarified that the arrangement is purely interim and would not affect the rights or claims of any party in the pending litigation.
The court also disposed of WP(C) No. 380 of 2026 while directing that WP(C) No. 387 of 2026, which challenges the Ministry's original appointment of Prof. Parsain, be listed for final hearing on August 3, 2026.
Charge formally handed over
Following the court's direction, Prof. Sumitra Phanjoubam formally handed over the charge of in-charge Vice-Chancellor to Prof. R.K. Hemakumar Singh, senior-most professor in the Department of Chemistry.
An office order issued by Prof. Phanjoubam stated that the transfer of charge took effect immediately in compliance with the High Court's oral order dated July 31 and in accordance with Statute 2(6) of the Manipur University Act, 2005.
The order said the interim arrangement would remain in force until further orders.
Regular Vice-Chancellor yet to be appointed
The latest order ensures that the university continues to have administrative leadership while the dispute over the interpretation of the university statute remains before the High Court.
The Ministry of Education has yet to announce the appointment of a regular Vice-Chancellor for Manipur University. Until then, the institution will function under the interim leadership of Prof. Hemakumar Singh as the court prepares to hear the remaining writ petition next week.
