No stay in Vidyapith case

AHMEDABAD, Oct 4: Even as the two warring factions in Gujarat Vidyapith are yet to finalise their arbitrators, the road was cleared today...

AHMEDABAD, Oct 4: Even as the two warring factions in Gujarat Vidyapith are yet to finalise their arbitrators, the road was cleared today for the larger faction led by pro-Vice-Chancellor Vinod Tripathi and Vice-Chancellor Govind Raval to implement decisions taken during the September 24 meeting of the Mandal governing body as Gujarat High Court today declined to extend the stay.

At the July 24 meeting of the Mandal, the Tripathi faction had taken some important decisions, which were pending implementation as Ilaben Nayak of rival faction led by ailing chancellor Ramlal Parikh had moved the high court seeking stay on the meeting8217;s agenda. However, when the case came up for hearing today, the court declined to give a stay, advocate for Tripathi and others Jivanlal G Shah said.

Tripathi said the decisions taken at the September 24 meeting, in which five members of the Parikh faction had abstained, would be implemented from October 5.

One of the decisions was regarding appointment of new members to the 15-member Mandal whose actual strength is 24 members.

Six new members have been appointed 8212; retired teacher of Vidyapith Dashrath Shah; retired Vidyapith professor M G Bombaywalla; retired administrator of Bhalel Vidyalaya Dhanlaxmi Joshi; ex-AMC standing committe Chimanlal N Shah; ex-member secretary of Khadi Board Ramubhai Patel; and registrar of language akademis Dalpat Padhiyar.

The Mandal had also adopted a resolution criticising the letter written by University Grants Commission UGC chairman to Parikh, threatening to cancel grant and de-recognise the Vidyapith. The Mandal had also appointed Govind Raval as holding trustee.

Meanwhile, confusion prevails in both factions regarding appointment of arbitrators. While Tripathi said the arbitrators would be decided only after the rival faction withdrew litigation, Ilaben Nayak said arbitrations are registered in the high court only on Fridays. 8220;We will register arbitration on October 8,8221; Ilaben said.

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Both factions, buckling under moral pressure of a handful of young Gandhians, have agreed to take their dispute to arbitrators, supposedly ending two months of mudslinging that has further eroded the image of this Mahatma Gandhi-founded organisation.

Both groups will give names of two arbitrators each, who will then appoint the fifth arbitrator. The arbitrators will give their ruling by Sardar Patel Jayanti on October 31.