High Court Orders Stay on Coercive Action Against Bihar State Universities

The High Court of Patna issued a significant directive on Friday, instructing the Bihar education department to refrain from taking coercive measures against state universities and their officials until further notice. The court also ordered the suspension of directives to withhold salaries of Vice-Chancellors (VCs) and freeze the institutions’ accounts.

Justice Anjani Kumar Sharan’s bench addressed a series of petitions filed by various state-run universities challenging the state government’s recent actions, including freezing bank accounts and withholding VC salaries for their non-attendance at a meeting organized by the education department.

In its ruling, the court directed, “All the impugned orders whereby salary of university officials have been withheld and all the accounts of universities have been frozen are kept in abeyance till further orders.” Additionally, it emphasized that no coercive action should be taken against any party involved.

Furthermore, the court urged universities to promptly settle pending dues, release employee salaries, and proceed with examination schedules to maintain academic sessions and safeguard students’ interests.

As part of its efforts to resolve the dispute amicably, the court proposed a meeting between all VCs, university officials, and education department representatives on May 6 at a neutral venue, Maurya Hotel in Patna. The state government was requested to cover the meeting expenses as a goodwill gesture.

The court mandated the participation of all concerned parties in the meeting, emphasizing that the Chief Secretary of Bihar, if available, should preside over it. If unavailable, the meeting should proceed as planned, with detailed proceedings to be videographed for transparency.

The controversy arose in March when the Bihar government froze bank accounts of all state-run universities, except one, and withheld VC salaries for non-attendance at a review meeting in February 2024. The education department sought explanations from the absent VCs regarding their non-participation in the meeting, addressing pending examination matters and other issues.

This court intervention aims to facilitate constructive dialogue and resolution while ensuring the uninterrupted functioning of academic institutions and safeguarding the interests of stakeholders.

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