In an attempt to install the Chief Minister as the chancellor of all State Universities instead of the Governor, West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Monday passed The West Bengal University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2022. The Bill seeks to replace Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as the Chancellor of all state-run universities. The Bill was passed with a vote where after 182 members voted in favour of the legislation and 40 against it in the 294-member Assembly.
The West Bengal government had last month passed a resolution in the Cabinet to this effect and legislation was tabled and passed in the Assembly on Monday. During the debate on the Bill in the House, State’s Education Minister Bratya Basu said that there “nothing wrong” in appointing Chief Minister as the Chancellor of the State Universities.
