LAHORE, April 3: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed on Tuesday remarked that the high court had no jurisdiction to take suo motu notices.

“An aggrieved person should come to the court and pay Rs500 court fee for filing a petition,” the CJ said, adding only the Supreme Court could take suo motu notices under Article 184 of the Constitution.

The chief justice gave these remarks hearing a writ petition against reappointment of Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran as Punjab University vice chancellor.

During the course of hearing, petitioner’s counsel Aftab Ahmad Bajwa said the respondent vice chancellor misused Rs30 million of the varsity students on a laptop distribution ceremony presided over by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. He argued that it was a fit case of suo motu notice.

Senior lawyer Akram Sheikh appeared before the court as new counsel of Prof Kamran and sought time to advance his arguments. Mr Sheikh said he could not prepare his arguments due to his engagement in memogate case.

The CJ adjourned the hearing till May 4 and gave last chance to the respondent’s counsel for arguments.

Fayaz Ahmad Mehr filed the petition and contended that the respondent VC was reappointed on Jan 1, 2012, in violation of law and rules.

He said Prof Kamran did not enjoy good reputation as a number of corruption stories had been published in newspapers mentioning his name.

He said the record revealed that Prof Kamran was involved in serious financial irregularities as well as illegal appointments. He said the reappointment of Prof Kamran was not only a violation of the Punjab University Act, but also of the Supreme Court judgments against re-employment of retired officers.

The petitioner said the respondent had already completed his term as vice chancellor but the government by reappointing him deprived other eligible candidates for the slot of their lawful right. He prayed to the court to take notice of the ‘illegality’ and set aside the re-appointment.