Supreme Court upholds appointment of Professor Naima Khatoon as first woman Vice-Chancellor of AMU

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the Allahabad High Court order on the appointment of Professor Naima Khatoon as the first woman Vice-Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University.

A bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi refused to entertain a petition challenging the HC order. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal appeared for the petitioners, Professor Muzaffar Uruj Rabbani and Professor Faizan Mustafa.

Referring to the observations made by the High Court, Sibal contended that chairing and participation of the then AMU officiating V-C Professor Mohd Gulrez, who was part of the executive council meeting that shortlisted Professor Khatoon's name for the panel, was improper. Gulrez is the husband of Professor Khatoon.

Sibal contended that the HC had observed that Gulrez's abstention from the selection process was desirable.

"If, in this case, no notice is issued, then in what case notice will be issued, I do not know, it stares you in the face," he said.

As the court declined to entertain the plea, he urged, "Please do not do it. This is setting aside the entire law held for the last 70 years."

However, the bench made it clear to Sibal that it was not willing to entertain his contention in the matter.

"We are not doing anything. Anything else? Thank you," the bench said.

On August 18, when the matter came up for hearing, a bench of Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and N V Anjaria had orally observed that the husband's participation when the wife's name is under consideration raised doubts about the fairness of the process.

The court had then questioned the appointment of Professor Khatoon, noting that Professor Gulrez was part of the executive council meeting that shortlisted her name for the panel. Justice Chandran had then recused from hearing the matter.