RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Sept.13: Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) vice-chairman Phool Singh, who had been removed on September 3 last year before completion of his three-year tenure and then reinstated with all consequential benefits on September 11 this year following a high court order, will complete his term on September 14.
A JAC official informed this saying Singh came back winning a legal battle but only for four days including one Sunday.
“From September 3, 2020, to September 10, 2021 Singh, who was appointed on September 15, 2018 for three years, remained without work. Finally, when the court ordered his reinstatement on August 4, it took more than a month for the school education and literacy department to issue an official notification in accordance with the high court order,” the official said.
Singh could not be contacted for his comment, another official said from September 15, the post of chairman and vice-chairman will become vacant and the government will have to do another exercise to select suitable candidates for these posts.
“JAC chairman Arvind Prasad Singh and vice-chairman Phool Singh were appointed on the same day and their tenure is ending on the same day (September 14),” the official said.
On August 4, Jharkhand High Court quashed the order of the state government by which the vice-chairman of Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) Phool Singh was removed before completion of his tenure.
Justice Dr S.N.Pathak passed the order directing the state to reinstate Singh.
Singh, who was appointed vice-chairman for the second consecutive term on September 15, 2018, for three years, had knocked on the door of the high court when he was removed from his position before the completion of his term last year without assigning any reason and without the issuance of any prior notice.
The court found his removal without notice a violation of law and natural justice and passed the order though the state counsel in his argument before the court asserted that the state had every right to remove him.
Singh is former principal of Raj Kamal Saraswati Vidya Mandir, Dhanbad. He was appointed during the Raghubar Das government for his alleged closeness with the RSS. When Hemant Soren came into power Singh was allegedly removed for his connection with the RSS. In his place, the head of the History department of Doranda College Shankar Lal was appointed for three years and controversy arose.
