Pune: The Bombay high court’s Kolhapur bench has directed the HC registrar general to appoint a judicial officer for a physical inspection of the University and College (U&C) Tribunal, Pune, to ascertain the existing amenities and facilities and submit a report in a sealed envelope by the next hearing on July 28.The nominated officer shall meet the Pune U&C Tribunal’s presiding officer to ascertain whether the facilities and amenities have been provided or not as per the govt resolutions (GRs) of Aug 19, 1995; June 6, 1996, and Oct 9, 2018, the bench of Justice Milind N Jadhav and Justice Nandesh S Deshpande said on June 24.The HC was hearing a PIL filed by Tanaji V Swami, a former management council member of Shivaji University Kolhapur (SUK), highlighting the “stark failure of authorities” to provide basic infrastructure and elementary facilities at the tribunal and how the same was impacting delivery of justice.The U&C Tribunal, set up under the Maharashtra Public University (MPU) Act and headed by a retired HC judge, primarily adjudicate service and employment-related disputes between teaching/non-teaching staff and the management of universities, affiliated colleges, or recognised institutions.The U&C Tribunal in Pune has a jurisdiction over the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Solapur University (PAHSU) and Shivaji University Kolhapur (SUK). Together, the three universities account for more than 1,300 affiliated colleges and recognised institutions.The bench noted that the issue raised by the petition required the court’s consideration.Senior advocate S B Talekar argued that despite the tribunal being headed by a retired HC judge, the state govt and the universities concerned have failed to provide even elementary facilities. This neglect severely hampers the tribunal’s functioning, causing immense hardships to all stakeholders, including teaching and non-teaching staff, students, and practising advocates.Talekar told TOI, “The tribunal’s court hall is too small to accommodate adequate number of people, as lawyers and litigants have to wait outside for their turn. There is no space for sitting, no bar room, no proper chamber and residential quarter for the presiding officer, no library, no digital facility for conduct of online hearing, no website where the tribunal’s orders can be posted for the benefit of the litigants and no full-time staffers. Even the deputy registrar of the tribunal, who is supposed to be a qualified law graduate, is not there as the university spares its clerical staff and most other employees are on contract.”The tribunal directed additional govt pleader B V Samant, SPPU lawyer Bhushan Jadhav and SUK lawyer Rahul C Patil besides other respondents to file their responses by the next hearing on July 28.
