Bengal Raj Bhavan Addresses Misinterpretation of SC's Comments on VC Appointments
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Synopsis
West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose has expressed his strong disappointment at the misinterpretation of the Supreme Court's recent comments about his role in appointing vice-chancellors for state universities, clarifying the actual proceedings and emphasizing the Chancellor's authority.
Key Takeaways
- Governor C.V. Ananda Bose criticizes media misreporting.
- Claims of a Supreme Court ultimatum are denied.
- 19 vice-chancellors appointed; concerns raised on 17 candidates.
- Governor’s objections based on due diligence.
- Apex Court granted discretion to Chancellor.
Kolkata, April 5 (NationPress) West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose has voiced his strong dissatisfaction regarding what he perceives as a misinterpretation of the Supreme Court’s recent remarks concerning the Governor’s power in the appointment of vice-chancellors for state universities.
In a statement released by the Raj Bhavan on Friday evening, the Governor's office countered claims that suggested the Supreme Court had reprimanded the Governor -- who concurrently serves as the Chancellor of state universities -- in relation to the appointment process.
“It is observed that certain sections of the media have engaged in unfortunate reporting and misinterpretation of the proceedings of the Hon’ble Supreme Court on 02.04.2025 concerning Special Leave Petition (C) No. 17403 of 2023; THE STATE OF WEST BENGAL -VERSUS - DR. SANAT KUMAR GHOSH & ORS,” the statement indicated.
The Raj Bhavan firmly denied allegations that the court had mandated the Governor to appoint full-time vice-chancellors in 17 state-run universities within two weeks, or that it had issued a warning of intervention should he fail to comply.
“This narrative is far from the truth and seems to be a story intentionally circulated with dubious motives. While Raj Bhavan has refrained from discussing the Hon’ble Court proceedings or in-camera observations, this unverified reporting has forced us to present an accurate depiction of the proceedings,” the statement elaborated.
The Governor’s office emphasized that vice-chancellors had already been appointed in 19 universities, and regarding the remaining 17, the Governor had raised “valid concerns” -- submitted in a sealed cover -- about the candidates suggested by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
These objections were based on “due diligence, including a review of the candidates' backgrounds and inputs from credible sources in the field,” the statement noted.
Furthermore, it was mentioned that due to the case being taken up out of order, the Attorney General of India was unavailable, and the sealed remarks from the Governor could not be presented to the court.
“In the absence of these submissions, the Hon’ble Court, after listening to the counsel, simply expressed its hope that the Governor would finalize the pending appointments within two weeks. It added that if this was not achieved, the court would reassess the situation during the next hearing,” the statement clarified.
The Governor’s office asserted that the court proceedings did not criticize the Chancellor nor restrict his authority to reject university recommendations or set an ‘ultimatum’.
“On the contrary, the Apex Court has granted discretion to the Hon'ble Chancellor to make decisions as he sees fit,” the statement concluded.
