Andhra University Irregularities: High Court Seeks Clarity Within a Week

The Telangana and Andhra Pradesh High Court yesterday expressed its displeasure at the vague submissions made by the Andhra Pradesh state government pleader, when questioned about the action taken to right alleged irregularities in appointments made at Andhra University (AU) between 2013-16..The Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Ganga Rao observed that it was this kind of attitude that was leading to the decay of educational institutions in the country..A public interest litigation filed by Areti Uma Maheshwara Rao stated that the government had failed to act on reports submitted by two separate inquiry committees that they themselves had appointed in 2016..Even before the committees were constituted, the state government had issued orders to the AU Registrar to hold in abeyance decisions taken and appointments made by the University’s then Vice-Chancellor GSN Raju until further orders. Both committees concluded that there had been irregularities in appointments and other administrative functions discharged by Raju..The Bench had earlier asked the Principal Secretary (Higher Education) to the Andhra Pradesh government Adityanath Das to be present at the hearing, and after having heard the GP yesterday, directed him to file a detailed affidavit on the action taken based on the committee’s findings on or before Tuesday, October 10..Meanwhile, counsel for the petitioner PV Krishnaiah informed the Court that the former Vice-Chancellor’s decisions had not been held in abeyance, and that those appointed by him in violation of existing norms continued to hold office..The standing counsel for the University, however, refuted these claims and told the Bench that Raju’s orders and appointments had in fact been held in abeyance..It was at this point that the Bench ordered the Registrar of Andhra University to a file an affidavit clarifying the contradictory claims within a week’s time, when the matter would be heard further.