Dravidian University PhD Row: Six Petitioners Withdraw from Long-Pending Writ Petition in Andhra Pradesh High Court - 2025-09-03

Dravidian University PhD Controversy: Andhra Pradesh High Court Permits Six Petitioners to Withdraw from 2011 Case

AMARAVATI – In a procedural development in a long-standing legal battle over Ph.D. admissions, the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday allowed six individuals to withdraw from a 2011 writ petition challenging the state government's actions concerning their doctoral courses at Dravidian University.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Ravi Cheemalapati passed the order, deleting the names of the six petitioners from the array of parties in the main case (WP No. 9931 of 2011).

Background of the Dispute

The original writ petition, filed in 2011, involved over 250 scholars who had enrolled in Ph.D. programs at Dravidian University, located in Kuppam, Chittoor District. The petitioners challenged a communication issued by the Government of Andhra Pradesh (Proceedings No.5611/UE.1/A2/2010-5, dated March 3, 2011).

They argued that this government proceeding was "illegal, arbitrary and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India." The core prayer of the petitioners was to set aside this communication and seek a directive permitting them to complete their Ph.D. courses based on the university's admission notification for the 2009 calendar year.

The case implicates several key bodies, including the Union of India, the University Grants Commission (UGC), Dravidian University, and the Government of Andhra Pradesh, highlighting regulatory and administrative issues in higher education.

The Court's Procedural Order

The recent hearing was not on the main merits of the 14-year-old case but on six separate interlocutory applications (I.A. Nos. 1 to 6 of 2025) filed by individual petitioners seeking to withdraw from the legal proceedings.

The court heard the counsel for the petitioners and, finding the applications in order, delivered a concise directive.

"Heard learned counsel for the petitioners. These applications are allowed. Names of the Petitioners, Mr. B.V.S.P. Pavan Kumar, Mrs. Unice Satya Latha, Ms. T. Madhulatha, Mr. J.P. Srinivasa Reddy, Mr. B. Dinesh Kumar, Mr. Veeroji Upasi, figured at SI.No.82, 154, 152, 110, 122, 188 respectively be deleted from the array of petitioners in the writ Petition."

Implications of the Withdrawal

This order is purely procedural and does not affect the legal questions pending before the court in the main writ petition. The withdrawal of these six petitioners means they will no longer be parties to the case or bound by its final outcome. The reasons for their withdrawal were not detailed in the order.

The substantive challenge to the 2011 government communication remains active, with the remaining 240+ petitioners continuing their legal fight. The case highlights the protracted nature of litigation concerning academic and administrative decisions in the higher education sector, leaving the fate of numerous scholars in limbo for over a decade.