In a significant development, Governor Raghubar Das has been replaced by Governor Haribabu Kambhampati who has canceled the appointment of Dr. Yagnaswar Dandapat as the Acting Vice Chancellor of Utkal University. This decision comes after a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by advocate Prabir Kumar Das, challenging the appointment as illegal.
- PIL Filing: The PIL argued that Dr. Dandapat's appointment violated the Orissa Universities Act, 1989, which states that in the absence of a permanent Vice Chancellor, a Vice Chancellor from another university should be appointed as the acting Vice Chancellor, not a professor holding a departmental charge within the same university.
- High Court's Displeasure: During the preliminary hearing, the Odisha High Court expressed its displeasure over the violation of the Act's provisions. The court had made the Secretary, Higher Education Department, Principal Secretary to the Chancellor, Acting Vice-Chancellor, and Registrar of Utkal University parties in the case.
- Cancellation: Governor Haribabu Kambhampati has canceled Dr. Dandapat's appointment, following the legal scrutiny and potential implications of the appointment being deemed illegal.
- Implications: This decision may have significant implications for the governance and administration of Utkal University, and it remains to be seen how the university will proceed with the appointment of a new Acting Vice Chancellor.