The Delhi High Court on Wednesday intervened in a matter concerning the Indian Institute of Heritage, seeking a formal response from the Central Government following allegations of systemic financial, administrative, and academic mismanagement at the Noida-based institution.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia issued notices to the Union Government, the University Grants Commission (UGC), and the Indian Institute of Heritage. Terming the allegations raised in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) as “serious,” the court also sought a response from the institute’s former vice-chancellor, Dr. Manvi Seth.
The PIL, moved by advocate Prashant Bhushan, paints a troubling picture of the internal workings of the institute located in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida. The petition specifically alleges:
- Unauthorized Appointments: Personnel being hired without following proper protocols or approvals.
- Financial Lapses: Expenditures being authorized without the mandatory sanction from the institute’s finance committee.
- Diversion of Funds: The misuse or redirection of public funds intended for the institute’s development and academic pursuits.
The petitioner argued that these irregularities necessitate an urgent, high-level independent inquiry. The plea specifically requests the constitution of a committee headed by a retired High Court judge or another eminent personality to investigate the depth of these alleged administrative failures.
Beyond the investigation into past conduct, the petition highlights a leadership vacuum at the premier heritage institution. It seeks a judicial direction to the Union Ministry of Culture to immediately initiate and conclude the process for appointing a regular, full-time Vice-Chancellor.
Currently, the institute is allegedly operating without a permanent head, which the petitioner suggests contributes to the ongoing administrative instability.
The High Court has directed all respondents to file their replies to the allegations. The court’s decision to issue a notice directly to the former Vice-Chancellor indicates that the probe may look closely at individual accountability during the period when the alleged irregularities occurred.
The matter is scheduled for its next hearing in July, by which time the Centre and the UGC are expected to present their stands on the institute’s governance.
