L.Jagannathh v. The First Appellate Authority/Joint Secretary

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 01-06-2026

CORAM

THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI L.Jagannathh, No.1263, Mariyamman Koil Street Thendral Nagar, Vengikkal Thiruvannamalai-606 604

...Petitioner

Vs

1. The First Appellate Authority/ Joint Secretary, University Grants Commission, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110 002

2. The Central Public Information Officer/ Under Secretary, University Grants Commission, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110 002

...Respondents

PETITION under Article 226 of The Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus directing the 1st respondent to dispose of the first appeal filed under section 19(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 dated 26.12.2025 within a time

bound period as may be fixed by this Court in accordance with the principles of natural justice.

For Petitioner:

Mr.E.Dinesh

ORDER

This is a petition filed by the petitioner seeking a direction to the first respondent to dispose of the first appeal dated 26.12.2025 filed by him under Section 19(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 within a time frame.

2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner. In view of the limited nature of relief this Court proposes to grant, notice to the respondents is dispensed with and the writ petition itself is taken up for final disposal.

3. The case of the petitioner is as follows:

(i) The petitioner completed his B.E. course in Electrical and Electronics Engineering in 2016 from Sri Padmavathi College of Engineering, Kanchipuram District. Subsequently, he was employed

as an Executive in Polaris BPO Division at Prince Info Park, Ambattur, Chennai. He also completed his MBA course in 2020 from PRIDE Institute. Later, he worked as a Debt Recovery Agent, ICICI Bank and gained considerable professional experience in the banking and financial sector. Having deeply interested in the field of law, the petitioner has joined a three year LLB course at VISTAS University, Chennai and is presently studying in the final year. (ii) According to the petitioner, the officials at the VISTAS University illegally retained the original certificates of students including the petitioner in gross violation of the Statutory Regulations and the Notifications issued by the University Grants Commission. They also collected Rs.200/- from each of the students under the guise of 'eligibility certificate' and accumulated financial gain to the tune of Rs.1.80 Crores for over several years and this is also in contravention of the relevant Regulations and Notifications issued from time to time.

(iii) The officials of the VISTAS University have allegedly generated approximately Rs.49 Crores per annum and this is in contravention of the relevant Regulations and Notifications of the University Grants Commission. The petitioner and another also sent

a complaint on 31.1.2025 to various authorities seeking action against the VISTAS University in accordance with law. The officials in the University Grants Commission received personal gain from the Founder and Chancellor of the VISTAS University and improperly exercised their powers to protect the VISTAS University from penalty as prescribed under the relevant Statutory Regulations and Notifications framed under the University Grants Commission Act, 1956.

(iv) Subsequently, the petitioner filed an application dated 08.11.2025 under Section 6(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 before the second respondent seeking certain information. However, the petitioner has not received any information within the prescribed time limit. As per the provisions of the said Act, such a failure shall be deemed to be a refusal by the second respondent. (v) Later, the petitioner filed the first appeal dated 26.12.2025 before the first respondent under Section 19(1) of the said Act. In this writ petition, the petitioner seeks a direction to the first respondent to dispose of the said first appeal within a time frame.

4. Considering the limited nature of the relief sought for and without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the first respondent to consider the said first appeal filed by the petitioner dated 26.12.2025 on merits and pass appropriate orders thereon in accordance with law within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

01-06-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order To

1. The First Appellate Authority/ Joint Secretary, University Grants Commission, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110 002

2. The Central Public Information Officer/ Under Secretary, University Grants Commission, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110 002 RLI

M.DHANDAPANI,J RLI 01-06-2026