In a significant development, the Allahabad High Court has summoned the Vice Chancellor of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Awadh University, Ayodhya, Prof. Pratima Goel, for committing contempt of court in the case of Dr. Narbadeshwar Pandey vs. State of U.P. and Others (Contempt Application (Civil) No. 2315 of 2024). Justice Rajeev Singh presided over the case, issuing the summons after noting that the Vice Chancellor failed to comply with the court’s previous orders, thus constituting a deliberate act of contempt.
Background of the Case
The case revolves around a seniority dispute between Dr. Narbadeshwar Pandey, a faculty member at a college affiliated with Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Awadh University, and another faculty member, respondent no. 3. Both parties were appointed as Assistant Professors on July 27, 1988. Over time, disputes arose regarding their seniority, which were exacerbated when Dr. Pandey was appointed as officiating Principal in 2020 by the Committee of Management. Respondent no. 3 contested the appointment, claiming that Dr. Pandey did not meet the eligibility criteria.
The Vice Chancellor at the time, Prof. Ravi Shanker Singh, intervened, citing discrepancies in Dr. Pandey’s Academic Performance Index (API) score and ruled against his appointment on January 2, 2021. This decision was challenged multiple times, leading to a series of legal proceedings and orders from the University Chancellor and the High Court, including a directive to resolve the seniority dispute.
Legal Issues Involved
The primary legal issues in the case concern the interpretation of university statutes governing seniority and eligibility for the post of Principal. Specifically, the court had directed the Vice Chancellor to resolve the matter in accordance with Statute 15.05 of the University’s rules, which provides guidelines for resolving seniority disputes between faculty members.
On February 21, 2024, the Allahabad High Court had ordered Vice Chancellor Pratima Goel to resolve the appeal of Dr. Pandey, allowing both parties to present their arguments within six weeks. However, instead of deciding the appeal, the Vice Chancellor remanded the matter to a seniority committee, which the court found to be a violation of its order.
Court’s Decision and Key Observations
In his ruling, Justice Rajeev Singh highlighted that the Vice Chancellor had failed to comply with the court’s clear directives. In its order on August 12, 2024, the court rejected the affidavit of compliance submitted by Vice Chancellor Pratima Goel, stating that her decision to remand the case to a committee was not in consonance with the earlier judgment. The court expressed displeasure over the lack of adherence to its instructions, stressing that the appeal should have been resolved on merit rather than being deferred to another body.
The court’s observations were pointed:
“The order dated 12.08.2024 passed by the respondent no.1 [Vice Chancellor] is not in consonance with the direction of Writ Court. Accordingly, the affidavit of compliance filed today is hereby rejected.”
Despite being given the opportunity to correct the error, the Vice Chancellor failed to comply with the court’s order even after subsequent directions. As a result, the court has summoned her to appear in person on October 1, 2024, for the possible framing of contempt charges.
Parties and Counsel
– Applicant: Dr. Narbadeshwar Pandey
– Opposite Party: Prof. Pratima Goel, Vice Chancellor, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Awadh University, Ayodhya
– Applicant’s Counsel: Advocate Sharad Pathak
– Respondent’s Counsel: Advocate Akhilesh Kumar Srivastava
