In the wake of the Karnataka High Court staying the appointment of N.K. Lokanath as the Vice-Chancellor of University of Mysore, the Registrar (Administration) and Finance Officer have been directed to take necessary action with respect to day-to-day affairs of the university.
A communication from the Governor’s Secretariat was issued on Tuesday, a day after several retired employees of the university held a demonstration in front of Crawford Hall in Mysuru in protest against the failure of the authorities to disburse their monthly pension.
“….I am directed to inform that in view of the stay order issued by the Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka for the appointment of Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar (Adminstration) and Finance Officer shall take necessary action with respect to day-to-day affairs of the university viz. payment of salaries to the teaching and non-teaching staff, payment of pension etc. until further orders,” said a communication issued by the Special Secretary to the Governor, Raj Bhavan, Bengaluru, on Tuesday.
“Further, it is instructed not to take any policy decisions/important decisions,” the communication said.
The order is expected to resolve the issue related to payment of pension and salaries to the teaching and non-teaching staff.
The University of Mysore’s Retired Employees’ Forum, who had organised the protest, said the situation had arisen over the failure of the Chancellor to appoint an acting Vice-Chancellor in the wake of the High Court decision.
As per the Karnataka State Universities Act 2000, the Chancellor has to fill the vacancy in the post of Vice-Chancellor by appointing the senior most dean as the Acting Vice-Chancellor. “For reasons not known, the compliance with the Act has not happened. As a consequence, pension payment had been held up,” said a former Acting Vice-Chancellor of the university.
