Despite an order by the Vice-Chancellor (Acting) of Central University of Karnataka, the incumbent Registrar of the university has refused to hand over charge to the new Registrar.
Late on Wednesday, Vice-Chancellor (Acting) M.V. Alagawadi issued the order replacing Registrar Mushtaq Ahmed I. Patel with Basavaraj P. Donur, a professor of English in the university, on the grounds that the deputation of the former from Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU), Hyderabad, has ended and his request for an extension has not been approved by the competent authority.
When Mr. Donur came to the office of the Registrar on Thursday morning, Mr. Patel refused to hand over charge stating that the very order of the Vice-Chancellor (Acting) was illegal. The office was later locked as the matter was not settled.
As per information available, the selection committee recommended Mr. Patel’s appointment as Registrar for a period of five years, which was later approved of by the Executive Council, the highest governing body of the university, at its 42nd meeting. However, Mr. Patel was deputed by his parent organisation, MANUU, in November 2018 for two years. His request for extension for another two years was approved of by MANUU in November 2020 before the expiry of his term.
“The order by the in-charge Vice-Chancellor lacks legal validity. Both my parent institution and the Vice-Chancellor of Central University approved of my extension request in November 2020. It is to be placed before the Executive Council of the Central University for approval whenever the meeting is convened. I have written to the Union Ministry of Education under which the university functions, President of India who is Visitor to the University and N.R Shetty, Chancellor of the University, and I hope that the wrongdoing on the part of the Vice-Chancellor (Acting) would be corrected respecting the law of the land,” Mr. Patel told The Hindu.
Mr. Alagawadi, however, justified his action stating that the performance of Mr. Patel as Registrar was not up to expectations.
“His [Mr. Patel’s] term as Registrar has ended and I have repatriated his services exercising my powers under Section 11(3) of Central University of Karnataka Act. He is questioning the authority of the Vice-Chancellor though he is not the employee of the university, but one serving on deputation. I will wait for another day. If he refuses to hand over charge, I will approach the Ministry of Education for further guidance,” Mr. Alagawadi said.