Shillong, Apr 5: The Meghalaya High Court on Friday endorsed the state government’s decision to repeal the Rajitlal University Act, 2011 while observing that the power to enact and to repeal a law is the sole prerogative of the legislature.
The court issued the order while dismissing a petition challenging the government decision to repeal the Act.
The Rajitlal University Act, 2011, enacted by Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, received the governor’s assent on 31 January 2020 while the assembly again repealed the Act on 22 September 2023.
The government took the decision after sponsors of the University did not show any interest to approach the state government with an application to establish the university even after three years of the Act being published in Gazette of Meghalaya.
The Act, if allowed to remain in existence, there is every possibility that fraudsters may use it to lure innocent students to sale fake degrees to them, which may bring bad name to the state, the government stated while repealing the Act in the assembly.
In its order passed on Friday, the court said, “The power to enact and to repeal is the sole prerogative of the legislature.”
Referring to the three years that have elapsed since the Act was enacted, the court said, “The petitioners have not provided any fund in terms of the endowment fund as contemplated under the Act.”
