Don’t fill Dean Research’s post till further orders: High Court to KU

Srinagar: The High Court Tuesday directed the University of Kashmir (KU) not to fill the post of Dean Research till its further orders if Prof Khursheed Ahmad Butt was not considered for appointment against the post.

Hearing a petition by Prof Butt, a bench of Justice Ali Muhammad Magrey said that the appointment of Prof Farooq Ahmad Masoodi as Dean College Development Council should remain valid till September 28.

   

“In the meanwhile, the arrangement made in favour of Respondent No 3 (Prof Masoodi) will remain valid till the next date of hearing. The respondents should consider the petitioner for appointment against the post of Dean Research, which has fallen vacant recently and in the event the petitioner is not considered for appointment against the post of Dean Research, it should not be filled up till the next date of hearing before the bench,” the court said.

The directions came while the court issued notice to KU’s Vice Chancellor, Registrar and Professor Masoodi of the Institute of Home Science besides Assistant Registrar (Administration-TW) on Butt’s plea. Butt in his plea through counsel M Y Bhat has challenged the order dated 2 August 2021 whereby Prof Masoodi has been appointed as Dean Academic Affairs.

In his plea, Butt, a professor from the Department of Commerce contends that his junior had been assigned the job of Dean Academic Affairs when Butt was the senior-most professor of the university.

“The respondents have violated the university statutes while appointing Dean Academic Affairs which post fell vacant on 31 July 2021 with the retirement of the erstwhile Dean Academic Affairs,” Butt submitted.

He submitted that the criteria laid down in the statute for engagement against the position was that one of the senior-most professors of the university should be nominated by the Vice Chancellor as Dean Research in addition to his or her normal duties.

He submitted that regulations provide that the Dean College Development Council should be appointed by the Vice Chancellor from amongst the senior-most professors of the university.

On behalf of the petitioner, counsel Bhat submitted before the court that during the process of appointment of the Dean Academic Affairs, Prof Butt earlier petitioned the court and the court after recording the statement of the counsel for the parties decided his petition with the direction to the KU to consider him along with other eligible candidates in the process of appointment of Dean, Academic Affairs strictly in tune with the statute governing the field as well as the relevant seniority position as and when the said post would fall vacant.

Bhat submitted that appointment of Dean Academic Affairs had been made without considering the case in tune with the directions of the court.

The counsel submitted that one position of Dean Research had fallen vacant recently on account of completion of tenure by the incumbent in position.

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