The Supreme Court stayed on Friday the additional financial emoluments of the interim vice-chancellors appointed to West Bengal Governor CV Anand Bose during the pendency of a plea by the state government challenging earlier appointments made by him.
The Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Dipankar Datta passed the orders on a special leave petition filed by the West Bengal government against the June 28 verdict of the Calcutta High Court upholding the interim vice-chancellor appointments made by Governor Bose in 13 state-run universities.
The Apex Court suggested reconciliation measures for the state government and the Governor, in the interest of educational institutions and the future of lakhs of students.
The Apex Court had recently constituted a search-cum-selection committee for appointing the vice-chancellors of state-run universities, in order to break the logjam between the state government led by Mamata Banerjee and Governor Bose.
The top court of the country sought five names each from the University Grants Commission (UGC), the West Bengal government and the Governor for members of the committee.
The development followed the West Bengal government apprising the Bench that neither the Governor, in his ex-officio capacity as the Chancellor of state-run universities, nor the UGC had responded to any communication regarding names of nominees for a search committee for the appointment of regular vice-chancellors.
While issuing notice on an interim application filed by the state government assailing the appointments made by the governor since August, the Bench stayed the additional financial perks being received by the postholders after Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi took exception to the latest appointments.
Singhvi alleged that after this court issued notice, while the matter was still pending, 12 appointments were made to Netaji Subhash Open University, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University and Burdwan University.
Calling it ‘unfair,’ the Senior Counsel said the appointment order did not even mention that these appointments would be subject to the outcome of this litigation. He said in any matter, even without the Apex Court judges saying so, the lawyers and all those present in the courtroom would hold their hands and take the court’s permission. He noted that this cannot go on and that this was the least expected.
The Apex Court, on its last hearing, had called upon intervenors to propose the names of renowned scientists, technocrats, administrators, educationists and other eminent individuals for inclusion in a selection panel to make these appointments.
(Case title: State of West Bengal vs Dr Sanat Kumar Ghosh & Ors)