The Bombay High Court has put on hold economist Ajit Ranade’s termination as VC of Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) till September 23. A Division Bench of Justices M S Sonak and Kamal R Khata was hearing a plea by Ranade on September 18, challenging his termination and seeking urgent relief for a stay pending his plea. GIPE Chancellor Bibek Debroy had issued the termination letter on September 14 after a fact-finding committee found that Ranade’s candidature did not conform to UGC norms. The court was informed that the Chancellor, in an email dated September 14, agreed to the petitioner's request for continuance as VC till September 21. As the regular bench would not be available till September 22, the Justice Sonak-led bench posted the hearing to September 23. “The impugned order should not be given effect. up to the close of working hours on 23 September so that the petitioner has an opportunity to argue the matter before the regular bench,” the bench said.
