The Sindh High Court (SHC) has barred faculty members from holding administrative positions at Sindh University (SU), mandating that all vacant statutory and administrative posts be filled through competitive processes within 60 days. This directive emphasizes adherence to the University Act, Statutes, and Rules.
SHC Bars SU Faculty Members from Holding Administrative Posts
A division bench of the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit, issued a significant ruling on Friday, directing the Sindh University administration to conduct a competitive process for all vacant administrative roles. This includes crucial positions such as registrar, controller examinations, and faculty deans.
The court specifically ordered that no faculty member or PhD holder should be appointed to non-teaching administrative posts, whether on an additional charge, look-after basis, or any other arrangement circumventing the law. Existing such arrangements are to be discontinued immediately. SindhNews.com has reported on similar administrative challenges in educational institutions.
Justice Adnanul Karim Memon, writing the order, stated that during the interim period, the Vice-Chancellor should assign administrative duties to senior officers from the administrative cadre, aligning with Supreme Court judgments.
The bench, comprising Justice Adnanul Karim Memon and Justice Riazat Ali Sahar, heard a petition filed by Syed Sajjad Hussain Shah and Ali Ahmed Talpur Bagrani. The petitioners sought the removal of faculty members allegedly occupying administrative posts in violation of a Supreme Court verdict.
The petitioners argued that experience gained by faculty members on administrative posts should not count towards positions like Vice-Chancellor or Pro-Vice-Chancellor. They also requested protection against adverse actions for raising concerns about favouritism and nepotism.
The SHC noted the Supreme Court’s clear stance that administrative posts must be filled from the administrative cadre via transparent competition. The court stressed that stopgap or out-of-cadre postings cannot persist indefinitely. The University Act dictates these appointments.
This ruling aims to ensure that administrative responsibilities are handled by qualified administrative professionals, promoting merit and adherence to established university statutes, as highlighted by SindhNews.com.
The court has mandated a compliance report to be submitted to the additional registrar within the stipulated period. This decision is expected to reshape administrative appointments at Sindh University.