Bengal Governor Opposes CM Mamata Banerjee's 17 VC Picks, Flags ‘Valid Reservations’ To SC

West Bengal Governor Bose has expressed concerns to the Supreme Court over Chief Minister Banerjee's recommendations for vice-chancellors of 17 state universities.

File Photo of West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

Source : PTI Images

Kolkata, Apr 7 (PTI) West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose has written to the Supreme Court, expressing reservations over the recommendation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for vice-chancellors of 17 state-run universities.

Bose, who is the chancellor of all state-run varsities, communicated to the apex court his opposition to the list of candidates for the position of VCs after a thorough review of their background, the Raj Bhavan said in a post on X.

“HG (Honourable Govenor) and chancellor has appointed vice-chancellors in 19 universities. In the case of the remaining 17 universities, by employing due diligence, including background and antecedent review of the candidates and after obtaining reports from credible sources in the field, HG and chancellor has raised valid reservations in a sealed cover, on the candidates preferred by the chief minister, for consideration in the Supreme Court,” it said.

The Raj Bhavan also said that the top court was unaware of the particular development during the proceedings on April 2 “in regard to Special Leave Petition (C) No. 17403 of 2023; The State of West Bengal versus Dr Sanat Kumar Ghosh & Ors”.

“On inquiry chancellor’s lawyer informed the Hon’ble Court that 19 names out of 36 have already been cleared. Because the case was taken up out of turn Ld. Attorney General for India could not be present in Court else the ‘sealed covers’ containing Hon’ble Chancellor’s remarks in case of 17 universities could have been submitted to the Hon’ble Court,” it said.

“Thus, in the absence of submission of the sealed covers containing Hon’ble Chancellor’s remarks, the Hon’ble Court, after hearing the counsel had inter-alia, expressed its desire that HG would be able to clear the remaining 17 within the next two weeks, failing which the court would have to take a call on the matter on the next date of hearing,” the Raj Bhavan said.

It also said that the “proceedings in no way indict Hon’ble Chancellor or frustrate his powers to differ from the recommended names for the universities or gives an ‘ultimatum’”.

“Far from that the apex court has given discretion to the Hon'ble Chancellor to take appropriate decision as he deemed fit,” the Raj Bhavan added. PTI SCH RBT