Educationists’ Forum accuses chancellor of asking univs to bear legal expenses

Kolkata: The Educationists’ Forum accused the chancellor of state universities, Governor C V Ananda Bose, of asking universities to bear the legal expenses of the advocates appearing in connection with the SLP being heard in the Supreme Court.

State Education minister Bratya Basu on Sunday said that he will draw the attention of the Supreme Court to the allegations made by the Educationists’ Forum.

In their official statement the Forum stated: “The West Bengal Governor’s Secretariat has conveyed to the universities an instruction of the Chancellor to bear his advocates’ expenses in connection with the SLP being heard in the Hon’ble Supreme Court.” A letter addressed to the authorised vice-chancellor (V-C) of the Calcutta University and signed by the Senior Special Secretary to the Governor, stated: “The legal expenses of the advocates engaged to appear in the case SLP 17403/2023 in the Hon’ble Supreme Court may be shared by all the Universities concerned and the Coordinating University, viz., the Calcutta University may make the transaction.”

“How would the universities be funding the expenses of litigation involving the chancellor against the state government, when the universities are themselves funded by the State exchequer?” the Forum questioned, while adding: “Universities are being forced to cough out hefty amounts on litigation against the State Government which pays for the universities. Is there any power conferred on the Chancellor for authorising fees for the lawyers, to be collected through the universities?”