Judgment

JUDGMENT - The appellant, Dr. P. N. Varman, held the post of Professor in Veterinary Physiology in the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. On the basis of some charges, he was removed from service by an order of the Vice-Chancellor dated 28-9-84. He challenged the said order by means of a writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and a learned single Judge on 27-2-89 set aside the order of removal. As a consequence thereof, he was put on job on May 31, 1989 and since then stands stationed in his post with the aid of subsequent interim orders passed in his favour from time to time by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Letters Patent Appeal as also by this Court in the special leave petition and presently this appeal. He has remained out of job for nearly four years and eight months from 28-9-84 to 31-5-89.

2. The core controversy before the learned single Judge of the High Court as also before the Letters Patent Bench (on appeal at the instance of the University) was whether the Vice-Chancellor was the appointing and punishing authority of the appellant and hence the authority entitled to effect his removal. The appellants contention was that it was the Boa