DR. AZRA ABIDI vs JAMIA MILIA ISLAMIA & ORS

Judgment text excerpt

* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Judgment reserved on: 30.08.2025 Judgment pronounced on: 10.09.2025 + W.P.(C) 8717/2007 & CM APPL. 10906/2025 DR. AZRA ABIDI ..... Petitioner versus JAMIA MILIA ISLAMIA & ORS ..... Respondents Advocates who appeared in this case: For the Petitioner : Mr. Mahmood Pracha, Mr. Javed Ahmed, Mr. SGS Kazmi, Ms. Aakriti Aditya and Mr. Adnan Khan, Advocates. For the Respondents : Mr. Pritish Sabharwal, Standing Counsel for JMI/R-1. Mr. Manoj Ranjan Sinha and Mr. Vishal Agrawal, Advocates for R-3/UGC. Ms. Manika Tripathy, Mr. Ashutosh Kaushik, Mr. Gautam Yadav and Mr. Akash Mahor, Advocates for R-5. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TUSHAR RAO GEDELA JUDGMENT TUSHAR RAO GEDELA, J. 1. Present petition has been filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, 1950 seeking quashing of the illegal selection of the respondent no.5, who is not eligible for the post of Reader and further seeks to direct the respondent nos. 1 and 2 to hold the selection procedure afresh for the post of Reader properly by following the procedure in accordance with law Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed By:YASHRAJ W.P.(C) 8717/2007 Signing Date:10.09.2025 Page 1 of 18 16:42:54 and also prays that the petitioner to appointed on the post of the Reader with retrospective effect. 2. The primordial question which confronts this Court in the present writ petition originates from clause 1.3.2 of the University Grants Commission (Minimum Qualifications Required for the Appointment and Career Advancement of Teachers and Universities and Institutions Affiliated to it) Regulations, 2000 (hereinafter referred to as “the Regulations”) dated March, 2000 and its interpretation. In order to appreciate the contours of clause 1.3.2 of the Regulations, it would be apposite to e