Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 11 : The Himachal Pradesh High Court has stayed an order issued by the Governor-cum-Chancellor of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) assigning the duties of Vice-Chancellor to the Dean of Studies and the Registrar during the incumbent VC’s foreign tour, granting relief to Pro Vice-Chancellor Rajinder Verma.
Justice Sandeep Sharma, while hearing a petition filed by Verma, ordered that the October 1, 2026, office order shall remain in abeyance until the next date of hearing. The court directed that Verma shall continue performing his duties as Pro Vice-Chancellor in the same manner as before the completion of his initial tenure.
The dispute arose after the Chancellor assigned the duties of Vice-Chancellor to BK Shivram, Dean of Studies, and Jyoti Rana, HPAS, Registrar, during the VC’s foreign tour from October 2 to October 12 instead of assigning them to the Pro Vice-Chancellor.
Appearing for Verma, senior advocate Rajnish Maniktala argued that the arrangement was contrary to the provisions of the Himachal Pradesh University Act, 1970. He contended that under Section 12B of the Act, the Pro Vice-Chancellor is entitled to discharge the Vice-Chancellor’s duties during the latter’s temporary absence, and an alternative arrangement can be made only when no Pro Vice-Chancellor is in office.
The court noted that Verma had been appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor for a three-year term through an office order dated June 3, 2023, and had assumed charge on June 7, 2023. Although his initial tenure ended on June 6, 2026, the court observed that, under the proviso to Section 12-D (2) of the Act, he continued to hold office as no successor had been appointed.
The court further observed that there was no provision under the Act debarring a Pro Vice-Chancellor who continues to hold office from discharging the duties attached to the post. It also took note of the petitioner’s contention that university notifications requiring matters meant for the Vice-Chancellor to be routed through the Pro Vice-Chancellor were not being followed after the expiry of his initial tenure. Verma was also allegedly not being invited to meetings of the university’s statutory bodies and authorities.
Holding that the assignment of the Vice-Chancellor’s duties to the Dean of Studies and the Registrar could not be justified under Section 12-D (2) of the Act, the court granted the university two weeks to file its reply.
The court clarified that the interim order would not prevent the authorities from initiating the process for appointing a Pro Vice-Chancellor in accordance with the provisions of the University Act.
The matter, registered as Civil Writ Petition (CWP), has been listed for further hearing on November 4, 2026.