THE V-C FIASCO

The abrasive influence of politics and the alleged violation of law have ensured that the 165-year old Calcutta University is without a vice-chancellor for the past fortnight.

- Romita Datta

The division bench of the Calcutta High Court under Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava has struck down the reappointment of V-C Sonali Chakrabarty Banerjee for a second term by the state government, saying it violated the Calcutta University Act, 1979 and UGC Regulations, 2015.

Acting on a PIL, the high court ruled on September 13 that contrary to legal requirement, ChakrabartyBanerjee’s reappointment on August 27, 2021, was done through a special secretary of the higher education department, when the power of appointment/ reappointment according to both laws rests solely with the chancellor—the governor of the state in this case. The state government filed a special leave petition challenging the HC order in the Supreme Court, but the latter has reserved its judgment by upholding what the former decreed. Not just in CU, 24 other V-Cs of state-aided universities who were also appointed by similar government orders signed by senior officials might face the same fate as Chakrabarty-Banerjee once the SC rules on the matter. A PIL seeking their removal is pending with the HC.