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.
Mr. Basu while referring the case of Visva Bharati University located at Santiniketan said that if the Prime Minister can be the Chancellor of a central university, why cannot the Chief Minister be appointed as Chancellor of State-run Universities.
Later in the day, while speaking to journalists the Minister said, “ Why will the Governor not sign a Bill which has been passed by an elected government”.
The BJP legislators who spoke against the Bill said that appointing the Chief Minister as the Chancellor of the State-run universities will lead to political interference in the universities. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said that the State government wanted that the legislation should have been passed unanimously.
“We took part in the protest and also registered our protest on the issue in the House. Ultimately, this Bill is not going to get the requisite approval,” he said. Mr Adhikari said that since education is in the concurrent list, the Governor should send the Bill to the Centre. Several Trinamool Congress law makers pointed out that other states have also made attempts to replace Governor as the Chancellor of State universities and appoint the Chief Minister
The Bill is a result of strained relations between the Raj Bhawan and State Secretariat on host of issues including the administration and appointments in State run universities.
Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on May 29 had said that not concerned about what the government does, unless a paper comes to him. “As and when it comes to me, I will take a call based on Constitutional provisions… I am surprised, a bill becomes an act when the Governor signs it and an ordinance is passed when the Governor signs it,” Mr. Dhankhar had said.
Other than 17-State run universities State government has also decided to replace Chancellor of West Bengal University of Health Science, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya and University of Animal and Fishery Sciences. Separate legislations are likely to be tabled for amendment to the existing provision of these universities and replace Chief Minister as the Chancellor.
