The Delhi High Court.
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday listed for hearing on May 29 an appeal by professor Eqbal Hussain challenging a single judge's order quashing his appointment as the pro-vice-chancellor and subsequently as the officiating vice-chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia.
Hearing of the appeal was deferred after Justice Rekha Palli, heading a division bench also comprising Justice Saurabh Banerjee, recused herself and directed that the matter be listed for hearing before another bench on Wednesday.
The single judge of the high court had on May 22, while dealing with petitions by Md Shami Ahmad Ansari and others, quashed the appointment of Hussain as the pro-vice chancellor and subsequently as officiating vice chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, holding the appointments were not made in conformity with the relevant statute.
It had, however, directed that to ensure the academic and administrative machinery of the university does not suffer or come to a complete halt, a fresh appointment to the post of officiating vice-chancellor be made within a week.
The court had also asked the 'Visitor', who is the President of India, to order the initiation of the process of appointing a regular vice-chancellor in the meantime.
On September 14, 2023, then Vice Chancellor Prof Najma Akhtar appointed Hussain as the pro-vice-chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia. Subsequently, upon Akhtar's superannuation on November 12, 2023, another notification was issued by the office of the Registrar about Hussain assuming the charge of officiating vice-chancellor.