The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday stayed the order of appointment of Lokanath N.K. as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mysore.
Justice E.S. Indiresh passed the interim order on a petition filed by Sharath Ananthamurthy, a professor in the School of Physics, University of Hyderabad. The petitioner was also one of the contenders for the post of VC.
The court prima facie found that the selection and appointment of Prof. Lokanath to the post was contrary to the Regulations of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and Section 14 of the Karnataka State Universities Act. Prof. Lokanath is serving as VC since March 2023.
It was pointed out in the petition that the search-cum-selection committee, in its report of scrutiny of applications from various candidates to the post, had made a remark that Prof. Lokanath’s appointment is in dispute and hence he is not eligible for consideration for the post of VC as per the UGC regulations.
However, the committee later included Prof. Lokanath’s name in the panel of three names recommended for the post, it was alleged in the petition, while contending that inclusion of his name in the panel was contrary to the law.
The Governor, who is the Chancellor of the Universities, acting on this illegal recommendation from the committee, had on March 23, 2023, chosen to appoint Prof. Lokanath as the VC even though he was not eligible for consideration for the post, it has been complained in the petition.
