2011 Supreme(Pat) 741
PATNA HIGH COURT
Ajay Kumar Tripathi, J.
Dr.Hari Narayan Thakur Son Of Late Pashupati Nath
Versus
Chancellor Of Universities Of Bihar, Raj Bhawan, Patna
CWJC No. 4626 of 2011
Decided On : April 22, 2011
The power of transfer should be exercised bona fidely and not for oblique motives, and administrative reasons for transfer should be clearly indicated and supported by evidence.
Headnote:
Transfer - Principal of College - The court quashed the order of transfer of the petitioner from one college to another, finding that the reasons provided for the transfer were not supported by sufficient evidence and were vague. The court emphasized that the power of transfer should be exercised bona fidely and not for oblique motives, and that administrative reasons for transfer should be clearly indicated and supported by evidence.
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner challenged the order of transfer from one college to another, alleging that it was based on extraneous reasons without sufficient material to support the transfer.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the reasons provided for the transfer were not substantiated by the evidence and were vague. It emphasized that the power of transfer should be exercised bona fidely and not for oblique motives, and that administrative reasons for transfer should be clearly indicated and supported by evidence.
Issues: Validity of the order of transfer, sufficiency of evidence supporting the reasons for transfer, exercise of power of transfer under statute 39 (III).
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the order of transfer was quashed as the reasons provided were not supported by sufficient evidence and were vague. It emphasized that the power of transfer should be exercised bona fidely and not for oblique motives, and that administrative reasons for transfer should be clearly indicated and supported by evidence.
Final Decision: The court quashed the order of transfer and allowed the writ, emphasizing that the power of transfer should be exercised bona fidely and not for oblique motives, and that administrative reasons for transfer should be clearly indicated and supported by evidence.
1. Annexure-3 came to be assailed by the petitioner when the Registrar of B.R. Ambedkar Bihar University decided to transfer him from R.S.S. Mahila College, Sitamarhi to S.R.A.P. College, Bara Chakia.
2. Submission of the counsel is that the order of transfer has been passed at the behest of the acting Vice-Chancellor for extraneous reason without there being material in this regard available for such a transfer. He submits that the manner and mechanism in which the order or transfer has been effected is evident now from the material brought on record by the respondent university in the counter affidavit filed on their behalf.
3. A letter written by the acting Vice-Chancellor addressed to the Honble Chancellor which is Annexure-R/3 dated 28.2.2011 talks about two colleges one is M.J.K. College, Bettiah and another is R.S.S. Mahila College, Sitamarhi. The Vice-Chancellor indicates that the present Principal is not capable to utilize all the funds and bring about change to the college because he has not been able to utilize even 5 lacs of rupees in 21/2 years against a sanctioned amount of 20 lacs for general improvement of infrastructure and science laboratory. That was the reason why a change was recommended with regard to Principal of M.J.K. College with regard to the present petitioner, Dr. Hari Narayan Thakur, who is the Principal of what is known as R.S.S. Mahila College, Sitamarhi, the acting Vice-Chancellor writes, "further Dr. H.N Thakur being a male person was found unfit for the girls college and the administrative situation in the college become so worse that the university was forced to order to share financial control by Finance Officer in place of Bursar of the College.
4. This is supposed to be the foundational fact based on which the Chancellor gave his approval for transfer and thereafter within two days the impugned order contained in Annexure-3 came to be passed.
5. Submission of the counsel is that what is that glaring and distributing material which is available to make such a communication to the Chancellor that the petitioner Dr. Hari Narayan Thakur being a male person was found unfit for a girls college. The court has gone through the entire records including the annexures and so-called complaint which has been made by some of the teachers but none of them would show that petitioner was involved in any case of moral turpitude or bad conduct which can debar him from becoming a Principal of College, which may be a girls college. In fact it is pointed out by the counsel for the petitioner that the college where the petitioner has been transferred is not bereft of the female species and it is not known as to how such a transfer is going to be helpful in preventing the petitioner from performing his duty as a Principal in a College which is not devoid of women.
6. Learned Senior Counsel representing the university submits that there are certain communications to show that at least two of the teachers of the college namely Professor Indu Singh and Prabha Singh have written letters to the Vice-Chancellor of University making grievances and alleging things against the petitioner. This shows that all is not well in the college and the affairs of the college cannot be carried out with such conditions so long as he continues to be the Principal of the College.
7. The Court has meticulously gone through all these complaints and letters. These are routine kinds of complaints which any head of an institution will face if he is firm in resolve to run the administration. None of the complaints would show that the petitioner is actually unfit to work as a Principal in a Girls College. There is a clash of ego and conflict of interest but that is prevalent in every institution including a College. Not every decision taken by the Principal can be said to be the liking of each and every teacher of the institution.
8. Obviously, there is something more to the order of transfer then the so-called reason which was comm