Patna High Court on Friday appointed a two-member committee to make an on-the-spot assessment of Patna University (PU) and file a report on the present status of the anti-encroachment drive there and its academic activities.

The committee comprises the principal additional advocate-general (PAAG) Lalit Kishore and Ashar Mustafa, a high court advocate.

"The committee would report to the court on whether the striking employees had been creating hurdles in the anti-encroachment drive or not," said advocate Vindhyachal Singh, representing Patna Vishwavidayalay Karamchari Sanyukt Sangharsh Morcha. "It would also apprise the court if the education system had been paralysed at PU owing to the ongoing strike of its non-teaching employees. The committee would find out whether the striking employees have been creating hindrance in holding classes in different colleges," Singh added.

The bench also directed PU advocate Vivekanand Prasad Singh to file an affidavit in the court, stating whether the striking employees had been creating resistance in restoring the academic atmosphere.

Friday's order was passed by acting Chief Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari and Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh while hearing a petition filed by Vikas Chandra alias Guddu Baba. The petitioner had alleged in his petition that owing to rampant encroachment in nearly all colleges of PU and its hostels, the academic environment at PU had collapsed.

The court's order to appoint a committee came amid its earlier directive on August 19, wherein it had said that if by Friday, the academic ambience at PU was not restored, the court would be compelled to appoint a team to check the veracity of the striking employees' claim that they were not encroachers.

The petitioner had earlier told the court that the ongoing strike of the non-teaching employees had hampered the anti-encroachment drive as the striking employees had encroached upon PU land.

The strike is on since past 10 days in support of various demands, which include hike in salary, implementation of Sixth Pay Commission, job on compassionate grounds and stay on eviction order.

The Morcha counsel, Vindhyachal Singh, told the court that the striking employees had not blocked anyone's entry into or exit from the college or PU. He also told the court that the employees had been residing on the said land for more than 15 years.