(1.) These three writ petitions arise from the same set of facts and raise similar questions of law. They are accordingly being disposed of by this common judgment.
(2.) In all these writ petitions the central issue concerns the validity of the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, 2020 (OUA Act) notified in the Odisha Gazette by a notification dtd. 9/11/2020. The OUA Act amended several Sec. of the Odisha Universities Act, 1989 (OU Act).
(3.) It is contended that the OUA Act violates Article 254 (1) of the Constitution of India and the Regulations of the University Grants Commission (UGC) apart from being arbitrary and without application of mind. The OUA Act to the extent it has repealed the Ravenshaw University Act, 2005 (RU Act) is challenged as being arbitrary, illegal and violative of Article 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India as well as Sec. 23 of the General Clauses Act, 1897 (GC Act). A further challenge is to an advertisement No.8 of 2020-21 dtd. 8/2/2021 issued by the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) (Opposite Party No.3) for recruitment to the post of Assistant Professors in different State Public Universities under the administrative control of the Department of Higher Education (DHE), Government of Odisha on the ground that it is in violation of the UGC Regulations, 2018.