Assam University VC Rajive Mohan Appeals Against HC Verdict Declaring Appointment Illegal

A CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR: Professor Rajive Mohan Pant has filed a writ appeal before the Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court, challenging the October 14 judgment of Justice N Unnikrishnan Nair, which declared his appointment as Vice-Chancellor of Assam University illegal.

The appeal, filed on October 23, challenges the judgment delivered in a petition filed by Professor Samira Behera of the University's Department of Mathematics. Apart from Behera, Professor Pant has named the Central Government, the Secretary and Under Secretary of the Union Ministry of Education, the University Grants Commission (UGC), and Assam University as respondents in the case.

According to sources, the Division Bench is scheduled to take up the matter for its initial hearing on November 2.

In the October 14 judgment, Justice Nair ruled that Professor Pant had no legal authority to continue as Vice-Chancellor and directed the appointing authority to immediately entrust the responsibilities of the office to another eligible individual from the university.

The legal battle has now led to an administrative and financial crisis within Assam University, with nearly 750 employees facing uncertainty over their salaries for the current month.

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