DR. BALWANT SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE petitioner claims to have joined Punjab Agricultural University (hereinafter referred to as 'the PAU') in 1965. In June 1997, he retired on attaining the age of superannuation after having rendered 32 long years of service. In view of his association with the PAU, he claims to be deeply concerned with its activities. In furtherance of his aforesaid interest, the petitioner has filed the instant petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for the issuance of a writ in the nature of quo warranto or any other appropriate direction to declare as illegal the appointment of Dr. K.S. Aulakh as Vice Chancellor of the PAU.

(2.) THE first contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner is that while making appointment of Dr. K.S. Aulakh as Vice Chancellor of the PAU, the prescribed procedure has not been followed. In the aforesaid context, reliance has been placed on Clause 2 of the statutes, wherein the procedure for appointment to the office of Vice Chancellor has been prescribed. The same is extracted hereunder : -

(3.) FROM the facts and circumstances narrated above, it is evident that the Board did not seek the assistance of the screening committee for finalising the appointment of Dr. K.S. Aulakh, respondent No. 3, to the office of Vice Chancellor. If the Board takes upon itself the matter of appointment of the Vice Chancellor, the question to be determined is, whether names should be solicited by the Board through an advertisement and/or whether at least three names should be short listed (unless the available candidates are less than three) and also whether a process of selection should be conducted so as to finalise the best candidate out of those short -listed.