State Higher Edu dept forms panel to examine legal expenses incurred by state universities

Kolkata: A committee has been constituted by the Higher Education department to examine the legal expenses incurred by state universities. The committee will enquire into the justification of the legal expenditure of the universities in connection with the court cases.

The committee will include the Joint Secretary of the Higher Education department as the member convenor, a senior officer of West Bengal Audit and Accounts Service as member and a representative of the finance (audit) department as member.

According to the notification by the Higher Education department, the enquiry committee will also enquire into sources of legal expenditure of the universities. “For the purpose an enquiry in the nature of audit may also be conducted,” it was stated. The report needs to be submitted within one month.

After alarms were raised over the Governor’s directive asking state universities to bear the legal expenses of the advocates appearing in connection with the SLP being heard in the Supreme Court, another information on Calcutta University transferring Rs 9,90,000 to an advocate appearing in the case had surfaced.

The Higher Education Department sought clarification regarding legal expenses incurred by different state-aided universities within five days from registrars. They have sought details on the amount incurred, whether such expenses were incurred with permission from finance committees and whether the advocates are empanelled advocates of the universities, amongst other details.

State Education minister Bratya Basu had earlier said that he would draw the attention of the Supreme Court to the claims made. The matter related to the SLP regarding the issues centred on the appointment of V-Cs in the state universities.