Syndicate lacks power to annul its earlier recruitment decisions; Chancellor alone holds exclusive statutory authority to annul University proceedings.

01Facts

Dhanamanjuri University (DMU) issued Advertisement No. 03/2020 on 19.12.2020 to fill 88 Assistant Professor posts across 22 subjects.

p. 7

Following a High Court direction in WP(C) No. 790 of 2023, the DMU Syndicate, in its 11th meeting on 27.02.2024, recommended 83 candidates, and a notification was issued on 29.02.2024.

pp. 8-9

Subsequently, a new Vice-Chancellor convened an emergency Syndicate meeting on 18.07.2024, which declared the 29.02.2024 notification "null and void" for lacking State Government approval per Department of Personnel (DP) Office Memoranda (OMs) dated 16.08.2021 and 11.04.2023.

pp. 9-10, 21-23

While the Syndicate re-notified the results for 19 subjects on 18.07.2024, it excluded Physics and Botany, alleging that the tabulation sheets were blank and no assessment was made, and ordered fresh interviews.

p. 10, 25

The petitioners, who were selected in the 29.02.2024 notification for Physics and Botany, challenged this cancellation and the subsequent call for fresh interviews.

pp. 11-12

02Issues

i.1. Whether the writ petitions were maintainable despite allegations of disputed facts and the non-joinder of all shortlisted candidates?

p. 72 / para. 54

ii.2. Who is the competent authority to appoint teachers and whether the Syndicate has the power to annul its own earlier decisions or the Selection Committee's recommendations?

p. 72 / para. 54

iii.3. Whether prior approval from the State Government (DP) is mandatory for declaring University recruitment results?

p. 72 / para. 54

iv.4. Whether the selection of Assistant Professors in Physics and Botany could be legally cancelled on the ground of "blank tabulation sheets"?

p. 73 / para. 54

03Law Applied

The court applied the Dhanamanjuri University Act, 2017, specifically Sections 10(f) and (g), which vest the power to create posts and appoint teachers in the University.

p. 34

Under Section 12(8), the Chancellor is the sole authority empowered to annul University proceedings.

p. 35, 75

Statute 13(i) designates the Syndicate as the appointing authority on the recommendation of the Selection Committee.

p. 39

Statute 27(v) mandates that if the Syndicate disagrees with multiple recommendations, it must remit them for reconsideration or refer them to the Chancellor; it lacks inherent power to reject them outright.

p. 41, 76

Section 30 regarding the "Removal of Difficulties" was interpreted to limit State Government interference to specific procedural hurdles, excluding general recruitment control.

p. 37, 78

The court also relied on the principle from Bharat Singh v. State of Haryana, requiring evidence to support factual pleas in writ proceedings.

p. 83

Provisions in the judgment · 10

Dhanamanjuri University Act, 2017 10 provisions

Section 2Section 4Section 10Section 12Section 13Section 14Section 15Section 17Section 20Section 30

04Reasoning

The court reasoned that the DMU Act establishes the University as an independent statutory body where the Syndicate acts as the executive head for appointments.

pp. 73-75

It found that the Syndicate exceeded its jurisdiction by declaring the 29.02.2024 notification "null and void," as Section 12(8) exclusively reserves the power of annulment for the Chancellor.

p. 76

Regarding State approval, the court held that the DP OMs cannot override statutory provisions; since the Act does not require government concurrence for appointments, the lack of such approval did not invalidate the initial results.

pp. 78-79

On the "blank tabulation sheets" issue, the court noted that the former Vice-Chancellor and subject experts confirmed that assessments were conducted and signed.

pp. 82-83

The Registrar's failure to raise this issue during the first Syndicate meeting or while collecting expert signatures suggested that the records were initially complete.

p. 84

The court concluded that the University could not penalize candidates for its own subsequent failure to maintain or preserve examination records.

p. 85

05Holding

The High Court allowed the petitions of the selected candidates (WP(C) Nos. 633, 501, 495, and 486 of 2024).

p. 87

It held that the Syndicate lacks the power to annul its earlier decisions or reject Selection Committee recommendations involving multiple candidates.

pp. 87-88

The court set aside the Syndicate's 18.07.2024 resolution cancelling the Physics and Botany appointments and the 19.07.2024 notification for fresh interviews.

p. 88

DMU was directed to include the petitioners' names in the selection list and issue appointment orders forthwith.

p. 88

WP(C) No. 728 of 2024 was closed as infructuous, and WP(C) No. 580 of 2025 was dismissed as not maintainable.

p. 89

LawLens.Manipur High Court

Original Court PDF