New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has dismissed a plea against the selection and appointment of Dr. Nazim Hussain Al-Jafri, Professor in the Department of History and Culture in Jamia Milia Islamia, on the ground that it was done in flagrant violation or contravention and total non-compliance of the university’s act.
Pointing out similar instances of several appointments across universities such as Aligarh Muslim University and Maulana Azad National Urdu University and also in JMI, Justice Yogesh Khanna said there is no case made out for the issuance of notice to the respondent and accordingly, dismissed the plea.
The plea filed by Mohammad Javed Malik, an alumnus of JMI’s Faculty of Law, alleged that Dr. Al Jafri has no teaching experience, did not apply for the position, and did not appear before the Selection Committee. But still, he was appointed to the position and it violates the Jamia Millia Islamia Act of 1988 and the UGC Regulations.
Malik, in the plea, prayed for a writ of Quo Warranto to be issued declaring that the appointment violates the JMI Act and the UGC Regulations as well as Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution.
During the course of the hearing, counsel representing the JMI, said Al-Jafri has more than 35 years of vast experience in university administration and he also acted as the VC at Khwaja Moinuddin University (state) on several occasions and served in different universities in various capacities.
Counsel also said that varsity statutes and UGC Regulations hold that the Vice Chancellor has the authority to welcome individuals of specific esteem to become Professor in Jamia Milia Islamia.
