John Varghese has every legal right to continue as principal: St Stephens College to DU

St Stephens College has informed Delhi University that John Varghese has “every legal right” to continue as principal after the university declared his re-appointment “null and void”, claiming that due process was not followed.

The college said all “applicable regulations” were followed in Vargheses re-appointment. St Stephens College said it received a letter from Delhi University informing the chairman of the college that the extension of the tenure of the principal was “illegal”.

In a letter dated August 22 to the colleges governing body chairman Prem Chand Singh, the university had conveyed that the continuation of Varghese as principal after the completion of his tenure was “illegal”.

The university also alleged that the appointing authority of St. Stephens college did not pay any attention to the provision of the University Grants Commission Regulations.

“The Chairman of the College, through a letter, has clearly and categorically informed the university it is wrong in its assumption and has put forward facts and operative judgements with respect to minority institutions to prove that the Supreme Council of the College, the appointing authority of the principal, has followed all applicable regulations in the appointment of Prof. John Varghese and that he has every legal right to continue as its principal,” the college said in a statement posted on its website. St Stephens College said it was putting forth the facts “to clarify and put to rest any and all irresponsible allegations, rumours and malafide communications”.

The university and Varghese have been at loggerheads over the admission policy for several months. Varghese was appointed the principal of St Stephen College on March 1, 2016, for five years. The supreme council of the college approved the extension recently.

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