The Allahabad High Court has put a stay on the fee hike in Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya Varanasi and affiliated colleges by adding development fee to the examination fee and sought a response from the Uttar Pradesh government and Sampurnanand Sanskrit University in four weeks.
A Single Bench of Justice Ajay Bhanot passed this order while hearing a petition filed by Sanskrit Vidyalaya Shikshak Samiti and Another.
Alok Mishra, counsel for the petitioners contends that the examination fees have been imposed without authority of law. The imposition of fees is regulated by Section 52 of the Uttar Pradesh State Universities Act, 1973. No ordinances of authorizing the levy of fee have been promulgated by the university.
The Court observed that the matter needs consideration.
The Court has granted four weeks time to file counter affidavits for the respondents and two weeks time to file Rejoinder affidavits thereafter. List thereafter.
“Till the next date of listing, the order dated 10.11.2022 bearing Office Memorandum passed by the respondent No 2 shall remain stayed.
Vineet Sankalp, counsel for the respondents No 2 and 3, shall forthwith communicate this order orally to the university who shall accept the forms of the students without insisting on the examination fee”, the Court ordered.
Counsel for the petitioner said that the Sampurnanand Sanskrit University administration arbitrarily increased the examination fee (development fee) under its order dated 10 November 2022. The university administration is charging Rs 420 from undergraduate students and Rs 570 from postgraduate students, which is wrong.