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New Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Orissa HC seeks government's response on functioning of MSCB varsity without regular V-C
CUTTACK: The vacation bench of the Orissa High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to file a response regarding functioning of the Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University in Baripada without a regular vice-chancellor for nearly two and a half years. The issue was raised by advocate Prabir Kumar Das by way of a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking the court's intervention. Appearing in person, Das submitted that the university is functioning without a regular vice-chancellor since November 2022. Acting on it, the vacation bench of Justices SK Sahoo and MS Sahoo directed the state government to file a response to the petition, and posted the matter for hearing to the week starting June 30. Accordingly, the bench directed the state counsel to take instructions by then after a preliminary hearing on the matter. In a notification issued on December 7, 2022, the chancellor had appointed the V-C of Fakir Mohan University, Balasore as in-charge VC of Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University. Section 6 (10) of the Odisha University Act, 1989 mandates that where it is not practicable to fill up the post of vice-chancellor, the chancellor may appoint the V-C of another public university as in-charge VC for a period not exceeding one year. As the in-charge V-C took charge on December 14, 2022, his appointment was valid till December 13, 2023. Hence his continuance is without any authority of law, Das contended. The petition on the basis of information gathered under the RTI Act, 2005 said though the state Higher Education department had issued an advertisement for appointment of V-C of Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University, no action has followed.
New Indian Express
09-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Orissa High Court defers scrutiny of public libraries' functioning to June 18
CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court deferred scrutiny of the functioning of public libraries in the state to June 18 after the state government on Wednesday sought more time to file a reply to the PIL for proper implementation of the Odisha Public Libraries Act, 2001, and the Odisha Public Libraries Rules, 2016. High court lawyer Prabir Kumar Das had filed the PIL on March 24, 2025. Das alleged inaction by the state government in creation of Odisha Public Libraries Council, Odisha Public Libraries Authority, Odisha Public Library Fund and Public Library Committees in each of the 30 districts, as envisaged in the Act. The vacancies in all the existing public libraries in the state include the Harekrushna Mahtab State Library, where alone 48 out of the 58 posts are lying vacant. On April 5, the high court had posted the matter to May 7 to start hearing on the matter. However, on Wednesday, additional standing counsel Aishwarya Dash appearing on behalf of the state government submitted that she needs 'more time to comprehend and collect all the relevant papers so that the decision of the government can be communicated to the court with clarity and precision.' Taking it on record, the division bench of CJ Harish Tandon and Justice MS Raman said, 'On her prayer, let the matter be listed on June 18, 2025.' The Odisha Public Libraries Act, 2001, the petition said, was enacted for establishment of a network of public libraries in the state and to maintain, regulate and integrate them to provide a comprehensive rural and urban library service. The state had framed the rules to carry out the provisions of the Act in 2016 and constituted a directorate of public libraries in 2023. But it is yet to implement the Act's provisions, which is imperative to nurture reading habits among the public, the petition said.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
HC sets new date to hear PIL on implementing libraries Act
Cuttack: Orissa high court has adjourned hearing on the PIL seeking its intervention for implementation of the Odisha Public Libraries Act, 2001 and the Odisha Public Libraries Rules, 2016, "in letter and spirit", to June court lawyer Prabir Kumar Das had filed a PIL on March 24 alleging inaction of the state govt in creation of Odisha Public Libraries Council, Odisha Public Libraries Authority, Odisha Public Library Fund and Public Library Committees in each of the 30 districts, as envisaged in the to the petition, Odisha Public Libraries Act, 2001 was enacted for establishment of a network of public libraries in the state and to maintain, regulate, regulate and integrate them to provide a comprehensive rural and urban library service in the petition sought the court's intervention for filling up the vacancies in all the existing public libraries, including the Harekrushna Mahtab State Library, where 48 of the 58 posts are lying the petition was first taken up on April 5, the HC directed the govt to file a response to the PIL by May 7. But when the petition came up on Wednesday, additional standing counsel Aishwarya Dash, appearing on behalf of the govt, submitted that she needs "more time to comprehend and collect all the relevant papers so that the decision of the govt in this regard can be communicated to the court with clarity and precision."Allowing it, the bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice M S Raman said, "On her prayer, let the matter be listed on June 18, 2025."
