DEEP INDER MONEY Vs. PUNJAB UNIVERSITY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Petitioner, who is a single girl child, applied for admission in 3 years' LL.B. Course after passing her B.Com. examination. She is challenging the decision of the Syndicate vide which the benefit of reservation of one additional seat for only child (single girl child) has not been made applicable to the students who intend to take admission where seats are under the regulatory agencies such as Medical Council of India, Dental Council of India, Bar Council of India and National Council for Teachers' Education (NCTE).

(2.) It is the contention of the counsel for the petitioner that once a policy decision has been taken by the Syndicate providing one additional seat for admission in the Panjab University Teaching Departments or its affiliated colleges in general not enlarging its scope to the courses falling under the regulatory agencies such as the Bar Council of India cannot be sustained being violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India. It has been contended by the petitioner that she applied under the category of 'single girl child' as mentioned in the prospectus issued for admission to 3 years' LL.B. Course for the session 2011-2012 by the respondentUniversity and was placed in the said category when the result was declared. In the light of the decision of the Syndicate, petitioner was entitled to admission in the course which has been denied to her by not considering her under the said category of single girl child because of the decision of the Syndicate restricting this benefit to the courses falling under regulatory agencies such as the Bar Council of India. Prayer has also been made that Bar Council of India be directed to permit such reservation.

(3.) Upon notice having been issued, respondents have filed their reply. It has been stated by the University that it is a statutory autonomous body and the admission in the Department of Laws is governed by Rules and Regulations as prescribed by the Bar Council of India. Reservation of the seats in the Department of Laws has been strictly done in terms of the instructions for admissions to various courses in the Department of Law for the Session 2011-2012, which is in accordance with the regulations prescribed by the Bar Council of India and, thus, there is no discrimination done as far as the petitioner is concerned in the said admission process. No reservation in the LL.B. Course was provided for either by the Bar Council of India or as per the decision of the Syndicate which would entitle the petitioner for admission. LL.B. Course is regulated by regulatory body of the Bar Council of India which grants sanction for particular number of seats for an institute and no other additional seat can be created by the institution for any purpose on its own. This reservation for the single girl child has been provided by creating an additional seat in the other courses for which permission has not been granted by the Bar Council of India and, therefore, the present petition is devoid of any merit and deserves dismissal.