Telangana HC issues three notices to question nomination of Prof Baxi to NALSAR's Academic Council

The Telangana High Court, on Friday, April 29, issued notices to the Telangana Law Secretary, Vice-Chancellor and Registrar of NALSAR University of Law, questioning the nomination of Professor Upendra Baxi as a member of the Academic Council of the university. The notices were issued under the direction of Justice Radha Rani, in view of a petition.

Earlier, a petition had been filed by Advocate Mahesh Mamindla, seeking direction forthwith to constitute an Academic Council as per Section 13 of the NALSAR University Act, 1998. In the petition, he had alleged that the university had constituted the said Academic Council in violation of the mandated provision of law. 

The university had also advertised for the post of Vice-Chancellor on the university website, making it an act of violation against Section 17 of the NALSAR University Act. According to this Section, the process requires "the formation of a Search Committee, which shall shortlist the candidates and forward a list of three candidates to the Chancellor for the final decision".

As to the matter of the formation of the Academic Council, Section 13 of the NALSAR University Act states that "apart from the external members, the Council shall consist of all the Heads of the Departments. In addition to that, one Associate Professor and one Assistant Professor shall be nominated by the Vice-Chancellor in order to represent the respective categories of the University," as noted by ENS.

However, in the constituted panel, the petitioner stated that there were five to six Associate Professors, including one who has been on deputation from another university and also a professor who had retired from the university about a year ago. And all of them have participated in the nomination of Prof Upendra Baxi as a member of the Search Committee.

The petition by Mamindla has therefore prayed that the nomination of Professor Baxi be considered as illegal and the university be directed to constitute the Academic Council in strict compliance with the Provisions of the NALSAR University Act.