Chandigarh, March 21 — The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday permitted the IIM-Rohtak Board of Governors to hold its scheduled meeting but ordered that any decisions made would remain on hold until the next hearing on April 2.
The directive came from Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj while hearing a petition filed by IIM-Rohtak Director Dr. Dheeraj Sharma, who sought to quash the inquiry against him and his placement on long leave. Arguments remained incomplete as Additional Solicitor-General of India Satya Pal Jain, representing the Central Government alongside counsel Shreyansi Verma, requested more time. Jain informed the Bench that he was delayed due to a “Full Bench” hearing and also had to appear for a Full Court Reference.
“Considering the circumstances and the scheduled Board of Governors meeting at 1:30 pm, let the meeting proceed. However, any decision made shall remain in abeyance until the next hearing,” Justice Bhardwaj ordered.
Dr. Sharma’s counsel, senior advocate Chetan Mittal and advocate Vivek Singla, argued that the inquiry, ordered on March 5, stemmed from complaints by dismissed employees. They pointed out that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had already investigated the same allegations in 2023 and closed the case.
The petitioners further contended that the ministry’s inquiry, initiated under Section 10A of the Indian Institute of Management Act, lacked jurisdiction. They argued that Section 10A came into effect on August 16, 2023, while the inquiry covered a period before this date. “An amendment is considered prospective unless explicitly made retrospective,” they stated.
