Start process of appointing principal afresh, high court tells Hindu College

Times of India: New Delhi: Friday, November 30, 2018.

Delhi high court has quashed the process of appointing a principal in Delhi University’s Hindu College and ordered a fresh transparent exercise.

Justice Suresh Kait had earlier this week set aside the appointment procedure while noting that “there was no transparency in the whole process and it deserves to be quashed.”

HC acted on a plea by a professor whose candidature was discarded without any explanation and whose RTI plea seeking to know the selection process was repeatedly rebuffed by the college authorities.

The court also faulted the college for failing to have a representative from the scheduled caste category in the selection panel, even when the norms clearly lay down such a criteria.

Referring to the lapses, HC said, “Not providing the information sought by the petitioner and not producing complete records before this court, the respondents not only kept the petitioner in dark but this court as well,” while narrating in the order how the governing body of the college and DU failed to place before the court full details of the process.

Justice Kait also took note of the fact that petitioner Ratan Lal’s RTI application was not answered, adding that “under the RTI Act, transparency is rule and secrecy is exception and yet there has been active concealment of information that ought to be in the public domain, which only goes on to indicate foul play in the shortlisting of the candidate. The unreasoned delay on part of the PIO also indicates avoidance of disclosure to achieve the ulterior motive of not conducting the appointment in a just and transparent manner.”

Lal, who belongs to the SC category, moved court arguing he was eligible for selection but due to lack of transparency, there has been favouritism. HC agreed and noted that the authorities were inclined towards a pre-decided candidate.

In its order, HC directed that an assessment shall be made afresh by the screening committee, but any of previous members shall not be part of the new panel, even as it re-iterated that a representative of SC category must also be included in the committee.