Supreme Court - Daily Orders
Cmj Foundation vs State Of Meghalaya on 18 August, 2025
Author: Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha
Bench: Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha
1
ITEM NO.301 COURT NO.7 SECTION XIV-A
S U P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
REVIEW PETITION (CIVIL) Diary No(s). 13271/2025 in C.A. No.
9694/2024
CMJ FOUNDATION & ORS. Petitioner(s)
VERSUS
STATE OF MEGHALAYA & ORS. Respondent(s)
IA No. 194105/2025 - CONDONATION OF DELAY IN FILING REVIEW PETITION
IA No. 66557/2025 - ORAL HEARING
IA No. 129958/2025 - PERMISSION TO FILE LENGTHY LIST OF DATES
IA No. 66559/2025 - STAY APPLICATION
Date : 18-08-2025 This matter was called on for hearing today.
CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE PAMIDIGHANTAM SRI NARASIMHA
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANDEEP MEHTA
For Petitioner(s) : Mr. Suryanarayana Singh, Sr. Adv.
Ms. Pragati Neekhra, AOR
Mr. Aniket Patel, Adv.
Mr. Narendra Kumar, Adv.
Mr. Niraj Gupta, Adv.
For Respondent(s) : Mr. Anupam Lal Das, Sr. Adv.
Mr. Ahanthem Henry, Adv.
Mr. Ahanthem Rohen Singh, Adv.
Mr. Mohan Singh, Adv.
Mr. Aniket Rajput, Adv.
Ms. Khoisnam Nirmala Devi, Adv.
Ms. Anne Mathew, AOR
UPON hearing the counsel the Court made the following
O R D E R
1. Application seeking oral hearing of the Review Petition is allowed.
2. Signature Not Verified By our judgment dated 13.02.2025, the Civil Appeal was Digitally signed by Jayant Kumar Arora Date: 2025.08.20 disposed of with the following directions: -
17:26:43 IST Reason:
“69. The issues raised for the consideration of this Court are answered as follows: -2
i. The procedure prescribed under Section 14(1) of the Act for the appointment of the Chancellor was not duly followed by the CMJ University and consequently, the appointment of the Chancellor of the CMJ University was non est and void ab initio”.
ii. The dissolution order dated 31st March, 2014 has been passed with strict adherence to the procedural requirements outlined under Section 48 of the CMJ University Act, 2009, and in compliance of the directions issued by this Court in its order dated 13th September, 2013 passed in SLP(C) No. 19617 of 2013.
iii. The Division Bench of the High Court was not justified in remanding the matter to the learned Single Judge for reconsideration on merits.
iv. The decision of the State Government dated 31st March, 2014 in dissolving the CMJ University is affirmed. It would be open for the State Government to take appropriate measures pursuant to the affirmation of the decision to dissolve the CMJ University.”
3. The present Review Petition has been filed, inter alia, raising the following grounds :-
“a. Because this Hon’ble Court may kindly take into consideration that more than 9000 students had taken admission and have successfully completed their course in the University without any complaint or demur from 16.7.2015 to 13.2.2025.
b. Because this Hon'ble Court may kindly take into consideration that the CMJ University came into existence pursuant to the enactment of the CMJ University Act, 2009 by the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, with an emphasis on providing high-quality and industry-relevant education in various fields. A huge amount of money has been invested in creating infrastructure spanning more than 1.5 lakh square feet built-up area, state-of-the-art laboratory, a library, and modern classrooms at the main campus of the University for imparting quality education to the students. Hence, this Hon’ble Court may kindly consider the fate of the students who had pursued/ are 3 pursuing the courses from 16.7.2015 to 13.2.2025, i.e. between the dates on which the order of dissolution of University was set aside by the Ld. Single Judge of the Hon’ble High Court in Writ Petition No. 177 of 2014 till the final judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Civil Appeal No. 9694 and 9695 of 2024, as the University was functioning in the interregnum without any complaint in view of the Orders dated 4.9.2017 & 13.8.2018 passed by this Hon’ble Court in SLP (C) No.21890 of 2017, order dated 28.9.2020 passed by this Hon’ble Court in Special Leave Petition (C) No. 10941 of 2020 and Order dated 1.6.2021 passed by this Hon’ble Court in SLP (C) No.70881 of 2021 (Converted to Civil Appeal No. 9694 of 2024).”
4. Issue notice on the Review Petition as well as on the application for condonation of delay, confined to issues raised in grounds (a) and (b) of the Review Petition.
5. We are of the opinion that the University Grants Commission [UGC] must be heard before any decision is taken. We hereby implead UGC as a party respondent. The Registry is directed to amend the cause title accordingly. Let notice be issued to UGC.
6. The petitioners shall serve a copy of the Review Petition on the standing counsel for the UGC. Dasti, in addition, is permitted.
7. Cause Title be amended accordingly.
8. Re-list the matter after three weeks.
(JAYANT KUMAR ARORA) (NIDHI WASON) ASTT. REGISTRAR-cum-PS COURT MASTER