Guj varsity wants HC division bench to hear Modi’s degree case

The Gujarat University, which has filed a petition in the high court seeking quashing of a Central Information Commission order to provide information on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degree, on Thursday insisted that a division bench should hear the matter.

Arguing before a division bench of Chief Justice R Subhash Reddy and Justice V M Pancholi, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta requested that the bench -- which had passed an order providing ad-interim relief to the university on July one -- should hear the matter. This was, however, opposed by the lawyer representing Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who is one of the respondents in the case.

Kejriwal’s lawyer I A Syed said the single bench of Justice S H Vora where the petition was first heard, should continue to hear the case.

He said the division bench has already granted ad-interim relief to the petitioner, and the matter should now be heard by the court of Justice Vora so that if the order goes in favour of Gujarat University, they would have an option to appeal before the division bench. The matter will again come up for hearing next Tuesday. 

Earlier, the varsity’s petition for interim stay was not accepted by the court of Justice Vora, after which the university approached the division bench of the high court which granted the stay.