University to withdraw professor’s termination after court intervention

In a significant development, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on February 7 temporarily stayed the termination of Professor Ram Mehar Arya from Chaudhary Devi Lal University (CDLU), Sirsa. The university informed the court that it had decided to withdraw the termination order issued on October 19, 2024, and would issue a fresh order after granting Arya a personal hearing.

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Professor Arya, a contractual Assistant Professor at CDLU, was dismissed over alleged misconduct and unsatisfactory performance. The university accused him of fabricating a letter that falsely claimed 500 female students had been harassed by university officials. An internal investigation found the allegations to be baseless, with CCTV footage allegedly implicating Arya in sending the letter. Based on these findings, the university terminated his contract.

However, Arya contested the termination, arguing that he was denied a fair hearing. His lawyer, Parmender Singh, stated in court that the dismissal violated the principles of natural justice. "He had sought a postponement of the hearing due to health issues and even submitted medical certificates as proof. Despite this, the university went ahead with the termination on October 19, 2024," Singh argued.

Responding to these claims, the university’s legal counsel informed the court that CDLU had decided to withdraw the termination order. "The university will issue a fresh order only after giving Professor Arya a fair chance to be heard," the counsel stated.

Following this assurance, the high court stayed the termination and directed the university to conduct a personal hearing, ensuring that Arya could present his defence.

CDLU Registrar Dr Rajesh Bansal confirmed that the university would comply with the court’s directive. "Professor Arya’s conduct and performance were found unsatisfactory by the department concerned, leading to his termination. However, the university will follow due legal procedures," Bansal said.

With the court taking note of CDLU’s commitment to withdraw the termination and conduct a fresh hearing, the petition was disposed of. The case will now proceed with the university scheduling a new hearing to allow Arya to present his defence.