Chandigarh, Jan. 29 -- The Punjab and Haryana high court has fined Government Medical College at Amritsar and its principal Rs.1 lakh for illegally cancelling admission of an MBBS course aspirant. The high court bench of chief justice Sheel Nagu and justice Sumeet Goel also saddled Punjab government with a compensation of Rs.50,000 to be paid to the petitioner student, Samarveer Singh, while making it clear that the amount can be recovered from the erring officials.

"The present case is an illustration of how litigations are pursued on behalf of the state, in a totally mechanical and indifferent fashion. The proceedings reveal a lack of due diligence, reflective of an apathetic approach that undermines the principles of responsible gover...