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Bengal governor may move high court against Jadavpur University’s convocation
CV Ananda Bose removed the interim vice-chancellor Buddhadeb Sau after the university decided to go ahead with the annual convocation on December 24 but Sau was reinstated by the state government
KOLKATA: West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose, who is the chancellor of all state-run universities, is likely to move the Calcutta high court against Jadavpur University for going ahead with the annual convocation on Sunday despite his objections.
“The chancellor has received legal advice to move a writ of quo warranto in the Calcutta high court against the unauthorised convocation in Jadavpur University,” a Raj Bhavan official said, seeking anonymity. A writ of quo warranto is used to challenge a person’s right to hold a public office.
Bose on Saturday removed the interim vice-chancellor Buddhadeb Sau after university authorities decided to go ahead with the annual convocation on December 24 despite the objections of the chancellor. The state government was quick to reinstate him. The convocation was held on Sunday.
Sau delegated the powers to the pro-vice-chancellor, who conducted the event and awarded the degrees to the students. The degree certificates were awarded by Sau.
Sau was appointed by Bose in August. Bose sought expert legal opinion on whether he can grant post facto approval to the convocation, without which the degrees awarded to the students would become invalid.
The chancellor also convened an emergency meeting of officiating vice-chancellors of universities across the state and a task force was set up to hold further discussions with the higher education regulator.
Raj Bhavan had earlier warned that it would initiate a probe against Sau, adding that it was seeking legal opinion on whether the expenses of the unauthorised convocation could be deducted from his salary.
