New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose, to appoint six suitable persons as Vice-Chancellors from the state government’s list of candidates. The West Bengal government has a running feud with Bose, who is also the Chancellor of state-run universities, over the functioning of the state's universities.
Attorney General R Venkataramani, representing the Chancellor, submitted before a bench led by Justice Surya Kant that he has approved six names from the list sent by the West Bengal government. "Let these six be appointed immediately," said the bench, also comprising Justice K V Vishwanathan.
The bench also asked the state to send a fresh list of suitable candidates to the Chancellor, who may decide to appoint some more VCs from the list.
The bench said it may consider setting up a search committee later for short-listing candidates for being appointed as VCs in the remaining universities run by the state government.
During the hearing, the AG opposed the submissions of senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing the state government, that the Governor was deliberately not consenting to the Bill on universities passed by the state assembly.
The state Legislative Assembly had passed an amendment bill raising the number of members in the search committee set up for appointing VCs in state-run universities from three to five. The BJP had opposed the West Bengal University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023. The BJP has alleged that the new committee would further enhance the ruling party's control over VCs' appointment.
The apex court has fixed the matter for further hearing on April 30. The top court had earlier asked the Governor, the state government and the University Grants Commission (UGC) to suggest three to five names each for setting up a search-cum-selection committee which will decide the candidates for appointment as VCs.
The apex court was hearing a petition by the West Bengal government challenging the Calcutta High Court order passed in June 2023, saying that there was no illegality in the orders issued by the Governor appointing interim VCs in 11 state-run universities in his capacity as the ex-officio chancellor of these institutions.
