HC seeks reply from BHU on plea on its South Campus

Allahabad, Aug 23 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court todaysought to know from the Benares Hindu University (BHU) as towhether it has obtained necessary permission from statutorybodies concerned for running the various courses offered atits South Campus in Mirzapur district. A division bench comprising Justices Dilip Gupta and M KGupta also directed the BHU authorities to file an affidavitcontaining details like remuneration given to teachers at theSouth Campus, the strength of students there from 2007 onwardand the fees paid by them. The court passed the order on a petition filed by AnandDeo and 30 others who had been teaching at the BHU’s "RajivGandhi South Campus" on contractual basis and whose serviceshad been terminated on July 4 this year. The petitioners, who have challenged their terminationorders, alleged that they had been "appointed by a duly formedselection committee but the university ended their contractsin an arbitrary manner by a general order". Later, walk-in interviews were held for filling up thevacant posts in violation of reservation norms, they said. The petitioners also alleged that their official residencehas been locked by the varsity authorities, to which the courtresponded by directing that the same "be unlocked within 24hours". Asking BHU, as well as the University Grants Commission,to file counter affidavits, the court fixed September one asthe next date of hearing in the matter. PTI CORR NACSC