Guru Nanak Degree College vs Kumaun University And Others

Pankaj Purohit, J

This writ petition has been filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, whereby the petitioner has sought the following reliefs:

i. To issue an appropriate writ, order or direction and directing Kumaon University, Nainital, to continue with the affiliation process of Guru Nanak Degree College, Rudrapur, for academic sessions 2025-26 and 2026-27, notwithstanding the pending land ownership litigation.

ii. To direct the Respondents not to insist upon land ownership cross-verification until final adjudication of Writ Petition (M/S) No.493 of 2017 and connected matters.

It is the case of the petitioner that it is a college run by a registered society, namely Shri Guru Nanak Degree College, Udham Singh Nagar. The petitioner-College offers courses such as B.B.A., B.Com (Honours), B.Com, B.A., M.Com, and B.Ed.

The total strength of the petitioner-College is 600 students.

It is contended by learned counsel for the petitioner-College that the College is being run by the Society from the year 2005 and regular affiliation to the petitioner-College was granted by the respondent no.1-University. The petitioner applied for affiliation to the Academic Year 2025-26 and 2026-27 to the respondent-University, but the same is pending with the respondent-University.

Learned counsel for the petitioner confined his arguments to the limited prayer that, in the event the petitioner-College submits a representation regarding the pending affiliation to the Registrar, Kumaon University, the respondent-University may be directed to ensure that the said representation is decided by the Registrar within a period of three months.

Learned counsel for the respondent(s) have no objection if such an innocuous prayer is granted in favour of the petitioner.

Accordingly the writ petition stands disposed of finally with a direction to respondent no.1-Registrar Kumaon University, Nainital and it is provided that the petitioner shall file a fresh representation to respondent no.1-Registrar Kumaon University, Nainital canvassing the grievance in detail therein within a period of two weeks from today; if such a representation is made by the petitioner-College, the same shall be considered and decided by the respondent no.1-Registrar Kumaon University, Nainital expeditiously, but not later than two months from the date of production of certified copy of this order.