New Delhi, April 23: The Supreme Court today allowed the Bihar governor to appoint ad hoc vice-chancellors (VCs) to the various universities whose appointments were earlier stayed by the court upon an appeal filed by the state government.

The apex court also allowed the counsel representing the various VCs and other aggrieved parties in the dispute to peruse in the court hall the original file relating to the alleged controversial appointments made by the governor and file their replies by Friday.

The matter has been posted for further hearing to April 29.

The bench of Justice G.S. Singhvi, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and Justice S. Arvind Bobde passed the order while dealing with the appeal filed by the Bihar government challenging the appointment of six VCs and four pro-VCs. The government said the appointments were made without proper consultation, which, it alleged, was contrary to the UGC Act.

After senior counsel Vikas Singh, appearing for the governor, sought permission for the appointments, the apex court said the chancellor (governor) can make the temporary appointments as provided under Section 3 of the Bihar Universities Act.

However, it said the appointments would be in vogue only till the disposal of the case.

Counsel Rudreshwar Singh, who appeared for the government, informed the bench that the state has decided to come out with a fresh ordinance for going ahead with the appointment process. He explained that the ordinance provides for a four-member search committee comprising members of the UGC and eminent academicians, but in case of a tie, the governor would have veto power.

In other words, he said, the ordinance provides for primacy to the governor, who is also the chairperson of all universities in the state.

Senior counsel Ram Jethmalani, representing one of the aggrieved VCs, assailed the government’s claim that the governor had appointed the VCs and pro-VCs with a tainted record.

“They said the appointments of persons with tainted record had been made. If that is so, what is preventing the government from producing the materials against those persons whose appointments it says are tainted? Let them produce the documents and materials,” Jethmalani argued.

The bench then said it would give an opportunity to all the counsel representing the various parties to peruse the original file of the governor relating to the appointments and thereafter file their replies.

The governor had earlier dispatched the original file in a sealed cover to the court.

On March 18, the apex court had stayed the appointment of six VCs and four pro-VCs and said the seniormost dean of each university will perform the function of VCs.