IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE S.SIRI JAGAN WEDNESDAY, THE 7TH APRIL 2010 / 17TH CHAITHRA 1932 WP(C).No. 10510 of 2010(K) ---------------------------------------- PETITIONER(S): ------------------------ DR.N. PRASANTHA KUMAR, READER AND HEAD OF DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH, SREE SANKARACHARYA UNIVERSITY OF SANSKRIT, KALADY. BY ADV. SRI.A.G.BASIL RESPONDENT(S): -------------------------- 1. SREE SANKARACHARYA UNIVERSITY OF SANSKRIT, REPRESENTED BY ITS REGISTRAR, KALADY, ERNAKULAM DISTRICT. 2. THE VICE CHANCELLOR AND CHAIRMAN OF THE SELECTION COMMITTEE AND SYNDICATE, SREE SANKARACHARYA UNIVERSITY OF SANSKRIT, KALADY. 3. DR.S. SIVADASAN, PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, SREE SANKARACHARYA UNIVERSITY OF SANSKRIT, KALADY. R1 & R2 BY ADV. SRI.P.K.VIJAYAMOHANAN,SC,SANKARACHA.UTY. THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 07/04/2010,THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: rs. S. SIRI JAGAN, J. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - W.P.(C)No.10510 of 2010 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dated this the 7th day of April, 2010 J U D G M E N T The petitioner is aggrieved by the inaction on the part of the 1st respondent University in completing the process of selection for appointment to the post of Registrar of University which is lying vacant. He is also aggrieved by the fact that a person who has already completed the age of 55 years has been put in charge of the post of the Registrar, although the age of retirement of Registrar is 55 years. 2. As far as the 1st grievance of the petitioner is concerned the standing counsel for the University submits that the University would require 8 months time to complete the process for selecting and appointing a qualified person to the post of Registrar of the University. As far as the 2nd contention is concerned, they would contend that although the 3rd respondent is past 55 years of age, he is a regular employee of the University, who is W.P.(C)No.10510 of 2010 -2- statutorily entitled to continue in service till he attains the age of 60 years. He has only been put in charge of the Registrar of the University and he has not been appointed as a Registrar of the University which is perfectly in order. 3. I have considered the rival contentions in detail. Simply because of the 3rd respondent has passed the age of 55 years he is not ineligible to be put in charge of the post of Registrar. Admittedly he is entitled to continue in service till he attained the age of 60 years. Simply because the retirement age of the post of Registrar of the University is 55 years it cannot be said that a regular employee of the University who is past 55 years of age, cannot be put in charge of the Registrar of the University. Therefore I do not find any merit in that contention. 4. Regarding the next contention is concerned the petitioner is also satisfied with a direction to complete the selection process for the post of Registrar within 8 months. Accordingly this writ petition is disposed of with a direction to respondents 1 & 2 to complete the process for selection W.P.(C)No.10510 of 2010 -3- and appointment of a qualified person as Registrar of the 1st respondent University as expeditiously as possible at any rate within 8 months from today. S. SIRI JAGAN JUDGE shg/