Shimla, March 28,
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has struck down the appointment process of the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University (HPAU), Palampur, ruling that the selection committee constituted by the Governor, in his capacity as Chancellor, violated statutory provisions under the Himachal Pradesh Agricultural, Horticultural and Forestry University Act, 1986. A Division Bench comprising Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Sushil Kukreja allowed a petition filed by Prof. Ajay Deep Bindra, a faculty member at HPAU, who had challenged the legality of the selection process. The court annulled all actions taken by the committee, terming its formation “illegal.”
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Prof. Bindra contended that the Chancellor’s selection committee was formed in breach of Section 24 of the Act, which mandates specific composition criteria. The petitioner further argued that the committee’s advertisement prescribing eligibility conditions contrary to the Act vitiated the process. The Bench noted that the Director General of ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) was required to nominate a member as committee chairperson. However, due to delays, the Chancellor instead appointed the Deputy Director General (DDG) of ICAR in April 2024, citing “urgency.”
The court held that statutory provisions cannot be bypassed for expediency, emphasizing that when the law prescribes a specific manner for performing an act, it must be done strictly in that manner and no other. Since the committee’s constitution violated Section 24, its proceedings stood invalidated. The judgment necessitates a fresh selection process in compliance with the Act. The university has been without a full-time VC for over six months, raising concerns over administrative delays. The Chancellor’s office must now reconstitute the committee as per statutory requirements.
