La Martiniere impasse ends, principal set to resume work
Institution’s local committee of governors resolves to expunge from the record allegations of financial irregularities levelled against him by a government official
LUCKNOW The standoff between La Martiniere College principal and state government officials who are members of the institution’s local committee of governors (LCG) ended on Friday with principal Carlyle McFarland set to resume work on Saturday (September 16).
The development came after the LCG resolved to expunge from the record allegations of financial irregularity levelled against him by a government official, according to sources privy to the development.
McFarland, whose term of office ends in March 2024, had proceeded on leave following a letter addressed to him by divisional commissioner Roshan Jacob on September 8, regarding delay in the process of initiating the procedure for the appointment of a new principal for the college and allegations of financial irregularities. Jacob is a member of the LCG.
Jacob’s letter also included an instruction to district magistrate Surya Pal Gangwar (also a member of the LCG) to take charge of the financial records of the college for the period of the principal’s tenure, owing to some complaints of alleged financial irregularities, to which McFarland had objected.
A meeting of the LCG was held to resolve the issues on September 13 in the presence of its chairman and senior judge, Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court, Justice AR Masoodi, said sources.
After members read out the objectionable part of the letter before the committee, it was decided that the end note of the letter be struck off the record until the matter is subjected to audit and presented before the in-house fact-finding inquiry, as per the previous resolutions recorded by the LCG, said those in the know of things.
The LCG also resolved that the advertisement for the post of principal would be published forthwith and gave instructions in this regard. A report was sought from college bursar Adrian Michael to place all relevant records from 2018-19 (related to yearly income, expenditure under various heads and the residual savings at the end of each year) in the form of tabulation charts.
This was to be presented in the next meeting of the LCG.
Principal McFarland said: “The objections raised by me and consequent action of proceeding on leave on moral grounds stand vindicated. I am grateful to the LCG for recognising this. The cause for me proceeding on leave has been addressed to my satisfaction by expunging the objectionable part of the letter referred to.” The principal assured that he would resume duty.
