Mumbai University Tribunal Gets Interim Officer After 6 Months, But Woes Persist
Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Thursday appointed Justice Shrikant Dattatray Kallakani as the interim presiding officer of the University and College Tribunal under the University of Mumbai, bringing an end to a prolonged vacancy that had left the bench non-functional for six months. Justice B.Y. Debadwar has similarly been given interim charge of the Nagpur bench under Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University.
Justice Kallakani, who currently serves at the University and College Tribunal of Savitribai Phule Pune University, will now additionally oversee matters under the University of Mumbai (MU) and SNDT Women’s University. The Mumbai bench had remained without a presiding officer since October 17 last year, resulting in a backlog of appeals related to service disputes, admissions, and other educational matters.
Justice Debadwar, presently posted at the tribunal under Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, will simultaneously handle the Nagpur bench responsibilities.
The appointments were made through a government resolution issued by the state’s Higher and Technical Education Department, invoking provisions under Section 80(9) of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016. Both officers will continue in their existing roles while handling these additional responsibilities until permanent appointments are finalised.
The absence of leadership at the Mumbai bench for over half a year had raised growing concern among litigants, lawyers, and university staff.
"The vacancy had created a judicial void. Several appeals were left in limbo, affecting both students and university employees," said a senior official associated with the tribunal's functioning.
Though the interim appointments are expected to restore administrative continuity, underlying issues with infrastructure and support systems at the tribunal continue to cast a shadow on its effectiveness.
In recent years, advocates have flagged poor working conditions, an acute shortage of staff, and the lack of basic facilities such as designated restrooms and transport for presiding officers. A 2017 Bombay High Court order had directed the state and MU to address these shortcomings following a public interest litigation, but progress has reportedly been limited.
“It’s not just about having someone in the chair,” said the official. “The working conditions are far from what is expected of a quasi-judicial body. The structural issues have persisted despite repeated reminders.”
While the new appointments may help clear some of the mounting backlog, stakeholders argue that a more permanent solution must include both timely staffing and serious infrastructure reform to ensure that the tribunals can fulfil their role as reliable forums for justice in the education sector.
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