Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili of Telangana High Court on Monday instructed the State government to file counter affidavit in a writ petition challenging continuation of T. Papi Reddy as chairman of Telangana State Council for Higher Education (TSCHE).
The judge passed the interim direction after hearing the plea filed by a post doctoral fellow K. Vijay Kumar of Osmania University. The petitioner contended that the rule did not permit appointment of a person above 65 years of age as TSCHE chairman.
According to the petitioner, Mr. Papi Reddy retired as professor of Economics from Kakatiya University on attaining superannuation at the age of 60 years on June 30, 2014. He reached the age of 65 years by June 30, 2019.
The petitioner maintained that State government appointed Mr. Reddy as TSCHE chairman through GO MS no. 8 of Higher Education department issued on August 5, 2014, for a term of three years.
After the tenure was over, the government extended his term for another three years. The second term expired on August 4, 2020. The government issued another GO Rt no 115 on July 17, 2020, extending the term of TSCHE chairman, vice-chairman and its members till further orders. This was in violation of the Act under which the Council was created. Already, the Osmania University Students’ Joint Action Committee on June 20, 2019, represented to the government that Mr. Reddy cannot continue as the council chairman since he has crossed the age of 65 years, the petitioner argued.
Extension of his term was against the statutory provisions and hence, liable to be set aside, the petitioner argued. The judge directed the government to secure instructions on the matter and posted it after two weeks for next hearing.