ISLAMABAD (Lord Media): The Federal Constitutional Court has clarified the limits of judicial intervention in appointments at public universities. The court stated that the judiciary cannot act as an appellate authority for administrative decisions made by public universities.
In a decision authored by Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi, it was stated that constitutional jurisdiction can only be exercised when a violation of legal or mandatory procedures is proven. Not every service dispute is admissible through a constitutional petition.
The decision further noted that allegations alone cannot prove bias, and no evidence was presented to declare the selection process illegal.
The court declared that the selection board is the competent forum to decide based on candidates’ qualifications, academic records, and merit. Without clear legal errors, the judiciary should refrain from interfering in administrative matters.
Moreover, the court mentioned that there is no evidence of any illegal act against the successful candidates, and judicial intervention on every objection by unsuccessful candidates would affect the autonomy of universities.
The appeal of Karachi University was accepted, nullifying the decision of the Sindh High Court and reinstating the recommendations of the selection board and the syndicate’s decision.
