Contents of the letter to the Chief Justice of India, to intervene in the appointment of the new Vice-Chancellor of the National Law School of India University
Dear Sir,
We are writing to you on behalf of the Governing Board of the Alumni Association of the National Law School of India University, Bangalore (“Alumni Association”). Through this letter, we request your intervention in ensuring the logical completion of the process to appoint the newly selected Vice-Chancellor of the National Law School of India University, Bangalore (“NLSIU”). NLSIU Alumni Association One of the principal goals of the Alumni Association is to strengthen the bonds between alumni and the administration of NLSIU and to foster a mutually beneficial relationship. In this behalf, the Alumni Association has been undertaking a number of initiatives through interactions with the administration, faculty members and students of NLSIU. Formed as a trust, the Alumni Association is overseen by a Governing Board and envisages various regional and city chapters in India and around the world. The Governing Board currently consists of nine members. Selection and Appointment of the Vice-Chancellor Your Lordship had earlier this year appointed a committee (the “Selection Committee”) comprising Professor M.P. Singh, Mr. K.K. Venugopal and Mr. Arvind Datar to select a Vice-Chancellor of the National Law School of India University, Bangalore (“NLSIU”), to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the then Vice-Chancellor in May 2019. In this regard, the Alumni Association communicated in writing to the Selection Committee the views of the NLSIU alumni regarding the qualities required for the position and suggested the names of some potential candidates. The committee was kind enough to give due consideration to the views and suggestions put forth by the Alumni Association. 2 Based on the recommendations of the Selection Committee and a shortlist of candidates provided by it, we understand that the Executive Council of NLSIU, through its sub-committee appointed for the purpose, selected a candidate for appointment as Vice-Chancellor of NLSIU. We note that, in the meanwhile, the term of the then Vice-Chancellor ended on July 31, 2019, and an Interim Acting Vice-Chancellor was appointed. This position ensues to date, and the necessary procedures for the appointment of the selected permanent Vice-Chancellor have not yet been completed. We, as alumni of the esteemed institution, are concerned that the leadership vacuum so created will adversely affect the functioning of the institution and its future progress. We, therefore, request Your Lordship’s kind intervention, as Chancellor of the University, in the matter by communicating your confirmation as to the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor selected through the elaborate process established and implemented by the Selection Committee as well as the Executive Council of NLSIU. We can be reached at NLSIU.alumni.worldwide@gmail.com.
Yours sincerely,
On behalf of the governing body of the NLSIU Alumni Association
V. Umakanth
Siddharth Raja
Yash Ashar