Punjab and Haryana High Court Stays Transfer of Sports University Exam Controller
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued an interim order staying the transfer of Anubhav Ahluwalia, the controller of examinations at Maharaja Bhupinder Singh Punjab Sports University in Patiala. Ahluwalia had challenged the transfer, alleging mala fide actions and abuse of powers by the vice chancellor, Pushpinder Singh Gill.
Justice Namit Kumar passed the interim order while hearing Ahluwalia's petition, which contested the May 5 transfer order, a show-cause notice issued on the same day, and the February 8 notification appointing Pushpinder Singh Gill as vice chancellor. The petitioner also sought directions to continue in his role as controller of examinations and requested the preservation of electronic evidence from the vice chancellor's office.
Senior advocates representing Ahluwalia argued that the transfer was punitive and illegal. They informed the court that Ahluwalia had been transferred to Guru Nanak Government College, Kala Afghana, Gurdaspur, a constituent college of the university. The petitioner alleged that he was posted outside his cadre and asked to report to an officiating principal who is junior to him in rank and pay scale. He claimed the transfer was driven by the vice chancellor's mala fide intentions.
Issuing notice of motion, the High Court directed the respondents to file their replies. Deputy Advocate General Swapan Shorey accepted notice on behalf of the Punjab government. As interim relief, the court stayed the May 5 transfer order until the next hearing and directed the university to preserve CCTV footage and audio recordings from the vice chancellor's office for April 22 and May 4.
