Srinagar, August 5, KDC: Just a day after the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) Srinagar bench issued non-bailable warrants directing the police to arrest and produce the Vice Chancellor and Registrar of the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has stayed all further contempt proceedings against the university top officials.
A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice Mohd Yousuf Wani passed the order in a writ petition filed by Vice Chancellor Prof. Shakeel Ahmad Romshoo.
Issuing notice on the petition, the Division Bench noted that Advocate Danish Yousuf accepted notice on behalf of the respondent, Dr. Sheikh Mohammad Imran.
Calling for the trial records from the Tribunal, the High Court granted immediate interim relief by halting the contempt process while directing CAT Srinagar to decide the underlying main application.
“In the meantime, further proceedings in the contempt shall stay, however, the Tribunal shall do well to consider the main OA and dispose of the same finally,” the Bench said.
The High Court has listed the matter for next hearing on September 7, 2026.
The order comes as a major development following the August 4 directive by CAT Srinagar Bench, which had issued non-bailable arrest warrants through the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Police District Awantipora, instructing law enforcement to produce the Vice Chancellor and Registrar in custody on August 6.
The Tribunal had passed the coercive order citing “deliberate foot-dragging” and non-compliance with its previous directions.
With the High Court stepping in and staying the contempt proceedings, the execution of the arrest warrants before the Tribunal stands stalled pending further adjudication.
In the High Court hearing, Government Advocate Jehangir Ah. Dar represented the petitioner Vice Chancellor, while Senior Advocate S. A. Makroo along with Advocates Danish Yousuf and Rahil Noor appeared for the respondent. (KDC)
