Retired VCs to move court against Bengal Governor for not clearing Bill on making CM state universities' chancellor

Kolkata: An association of retired vice-chancellors of different state universities in West Bengal, known to be close to the ruling Trinamool Congress, has decided to approach the Calcutta High Court accusing Governor C.V. Ananda Bose of deliberately delaying the Bill on replacement of the Governor with the chief minister as the chancellor of all state universities.

The said association, Education Forum, has claimed that Article 200 of the Indian Constitution does not permit the Governor to hold back or sit on any Bill passed in a legislative assembly by majority for a definite period.

"The question is not what we think or the Governor thinks in the matter. The question is what Article 200 of the Indian Constitution, that outlines the process for a Bill passed by the Legislative Assembly of a state to be presented to the Governor for assent, says in this connection," claimed Om Prakash Mishra on behalf of Education Forum.

He said that the forum office-bearers have already started the process of approaching the court of law in the matter and they have already started discussing the legal brains in the matter.

However, the state unit of BJP has stood by the Governor in the matter.

According to BJP’s state spokesman, not a single right-thinking individual can support the idea of replacing the Governor with the chief minister as the chancellor of state universities.

"If there is a referendum on the matter I am sure that 80 per cent of the votes will be against the contents of the Bill. Even the right-thinking individuals within Trinamool Congress will also oppose the idea. No will support a party- controlled education system in the state. Hence the Governor is adopting the right path," he said.

The said Bill was passed in the state Assembly recently by majority, with 167 votes going in favour of it and 55 going against it.