- (1.) This petition has been filed under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India for issuance of an appropriate writ, order or direction quashing the decision dated 29.12.1993 (Annexure P-9) taken by the Academic Council of the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana in its meeting held on 29th December, 1993 whereby it decided under item No.B-6 to withdraw the award of Dr. P.N. Thapar Gold Medal from the petitioner and to award the same to respondent no.3 in an illegal and arbitrary manner. Further prayer has been made to issue a writ of mandamus directing the respondents No.1 and 2 not to withdraw Dr. P.N. Thapar Gold Medal from the petitioner which was awarded to him by the Academic Council in its 206th meeting held on 25.2.1993 (Annexure P-5).
(2.) The case pleaded by the petitioner is that the petitioner did his Bachelor of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry (B.V.Sc. & A.H.) from the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana in the year 1992 and obtained overall 3.74 grade point out of 4. The petitioner participated in the sports event of Football during the session 1987-88 and also participated in the item of Group Shabad/Bhajan Gayan during 10th Punjab State Inter-University Youth Festival held at Tagore Theater, Chandigarh on 17/18th March, 1992. The petitioner also participated in the 4th All India Inter Institutional Skits competition organised by Guru Nanak Engineering College, Ludhiana from 31st March to 2nd April, 1989. Every year respondent no.1 University would confer Dr. P.N. Thapar Gold Medal Award to overall best graduate of the University and the criteria was laid down under the rules for the award of the same and evaluation of the score card of the students had been framed. The Academic Council in its 206th meeting dated 25.2.1993 decided to award gold medal for the year 1992 to the petitioner as the best all around student in the Bachelor of Science Programme of the University. The said decision was published in the official newspaper of the University known as PAU news for the month of December, 1993 and was also published in the different newspapers including that of Ajit 'Punjabi Newspaper' on 23.3.1993. The name of the petitioner was also written on the board of honour displayed outside the College of Veterinary Sciences mentioning therein that the petitioner had been awarded Dr. P.N.Thapar Gold Medal. Photostat copy of the photographs of the Notice Board are appended as Annexure P-8.
(3.) The Academic Council of the University in its 214 meeting held on 29th December, 1993 had decided to award Gold Medal for the year 1992 to respondent no.3 instead of petitioner. The petitioner had been awarded 80.12 marks out of 100 as per criteria and the rules framed for the award of Gold Medal whereas respondent no.3 secured 79.06 marks only. The said action was highly embarrassing and insulting for the petitioner and against the principle of natural justice.;