The Allahabad High Court has confirmed the decision of a single-judge bench from May, which ruled that the dismissal of the law officer and five faculty members from Dr. Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University was unlawful.
Allahabad High Court has affirmed the reinstatement of a law officer and five faculty members at Dr. Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University, Lucknow, marking a significant moment for academic and legal professionals across the region. This ruling upholds a previous judgment by a single-judge bench, which had declared their removal as illegal and ordered their reinstatement with full back wages and service benefits.
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The case, which has drawn considerable attention, centers around Law Officer Alok Mishra and teachers Dr. Rajendra Kumar Srivastava, Dr. Adya Shakti Rai, Avnish Chandra Mishra, Vipin Kumar Pandey, and Mrityunjay Mishra. Their dismissal had been contested on the grounds that it lacked a proper inquiry and was unjustly executed following the conclusion of the previous vice-chancellor, Dr. Nishith Rai’s term.
A division bench comprising Justice AR Masoodi and Justice OP Shukla dismissed the university’s appeal against the earlier order, emphasizing the absence of any fraud or misrepresentation by the respondents. The judges stated,
“In absence of any fraud or misrepresentation having been committed by the respondents, their selection cannot be cancelled after a long period of seven years.”
They further highlighted the unjust nature of denying the law officer and the teachers their rightful back wages and service consequences, asserting,
“This court does not find any reasons as to why the consequential relief, including back wages, should not be granted.”
Advocate Gaurav Mehrotra, representing the reinstated staff, argued that their removal was not only improper but also lacked a legitimate inquiry, suggesting that the action was taken hastily after the change in the university’s administration. Mehrotra stressed,
“The order of the single-judge bench is quite correct and there is no illegality in it and the university has filed the special appeal only to delay the reinstatement of the law officer and the teachers.”
The division bench concurred with this assessment, finding no substantial grounds in the university’s appeal to warrant a reversal of the single-judge bench’s decision. Their judgment reinforces the principle that employment decisions within academic institutions must be made fairly and transparently, and that any deviations from this standard warrant rectification.
This ruling not only reinstates the affected individuals but also sets a precedent for how similar cases might be handled in the future, emphasizing the importance of due process and fair treatment in employment practices within educational institutions. It serves as a reminder of the judiciary’s role in upholding justice and integrity within the academic sector, ensuring that educators and legal officers are protected against arbitrary and unjust actions.
The decision by the Allahabad High Court is a victory for academic freedom and the rule of law, underscoring the critical importance of maintaining transparency and fairness in the administration of educational institutions. It reaffirms the judiciary’s commitment to protecting the rights of individuals against wrongful dismissal and highlights the necessity of proper procedural conduct in all employment-related matters.
