Seal assistant professors' hiring record: Punjab and Haryana High Court

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 23

In a major embarrassment for the Punjab Government, the Punjab and Haryana HC today directed the sealing of entire record pertaining to the selection of assistant professors after directing the issuance of show-cause notices to the official respondents. They have been asked to explain why proceedings for committing contempt be not initiated against them.

Justice Mahabir Singh Sindhu asserted the official respondents had virtually gone on “a spree for public employment for the reasons best known to them”. The assertion came after senior counsel Gaurav Chopra contended the Bench had earlier restrained the respondents from proceeding with the matter. But the official respondents went on to issue posting orders in favour of candidates for assistant professor’s posts. To buttress his contentions, Chopra produced copy of an order dated December 22 passed by the Punjab Secretary, Department of Higher Education, for posting of 38 assistant professors in physical education. “A perusal of order dated December 22 reveals despite specific directions, the Secretary, Department of Higher Education, has issued the posting orders in favour of 38 candidates. Thus, prima facie, the action of official respondents seems to be in disregard of the directions issued by this court…,” Justice Sindhu asserted.

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