HC stays transfer of Punjab sports varsity’s exam controller

Patiala: The Punjab and Haryana high court has stayed the transfer of Anubhav Ahluwalia, controller of examinations at Maharaja Bhupinder Singh Punjab Sports University, Patiala, after he alleged mala fide action and abuse of powers by the vice chancellor.Justice Namit Kumar passed the interim order while hearing Ahluwalia's petition challenging the May 5 transfer order, a show-cause notice issued the same day, and the Feb 8 notification appointing Pushpinder Singh Gill as vice chancellor.The petitioner also sought directions to continue as controller of examinations and requested preservation of electronic evidence from the VC's office.Senior advocates appearing for Ahluwalia argued that the transfer was punitive and illegal. The court was told that he had been shifted to Guru Nanak Government College, Kala Afghana, Gurdaspur, a constituent college of the university.The petitioner alleged he had been posted outside his cadre and asked to report to an officiating principal junior to him in rank and pay scale. He claimed the transfer was driven by the VC's "mala fide intentions".Issuing notice of motion, the HC directed the respondents to file replies. Deputy advocate general Swapan Shorey accepted notice on behalf of the Punjab govt.As interim relief, the court stayed the May 5 transfer order till the next hearing and directed the university to preserve CCTV footage and audio recordings from the VC's office for April 22 and May 4.