In a meeting with the Chief Justice and Justice Bobde, Sr Adv. Gopal Sankaranarayanan on behest of the Student body of NLSIU apprised them of the following concerns:
a. The Executive Council had delegated to a Sub-Committee the task of interacting with the 3 candidates and giving their recommendations regarding the appointment to be made. In view of the Sub-Committee’s decision on 23rd July 2019 recording the approval of the appointment of Prof Krishnaswamy as the Vice-Chancellor, the formal appointment should have followed. However, it appears that the administration has misinterpreted the procedure and been delaying the formal process by claiming that Bar Council representatives wanted nothing short of a fresh Executive Council meeting.
b. It was apprehended by the students that the composition of the Executive Council would be changed at the next meeting so that the delegated decisions of the previous meeting would be frustrated/reversed.
c. The interim administration has been less than transparent with the students and adopted a fairly unsympathetic approach which has resulted in the students deciding to boycott the exams, the first of which are being held today.
d. The SBA representatives have written to both the Chief Justice and Justice Bobde seeking an audience and they have received no response, which has left them with very little alternative to air their grievances.
The response of the Justices is as follows:
a. It appears that there has been a lot of misinformation that has done the rounds. All responses of the Executive Council members have been received and nothing is left on that front. Only a formal decision is to be taken by the CJI in exercise of the consultation power, which will be out shortly.
b. It was the clear understanding of the Sub-Committee that they were taking the final decision as delegated, and this was merely to be communicated to the Executive Council.
c. There were serious misgivings about the students of a premier institution going on a ‘strike’ for a matter like this. It was pointed out that the students really have no say in the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor, and ought not to have adopted a measure that would browbeat the Executive Council. I mentioned that this was mainly due to the conduct of the administration which had been unhelpful.
d. The students ought to call off the protest and take part in their examinations immediately – the protest appears to be based on an incomplete understanding of facts, and ought not to be continued.
e. Several hundred letters and missives are received by their offices, and they had not seen the requests made by the SBA representatives. It was pointed out that an immediate audience had been granted when a request was made by Mr Shankarayarayan on behalf of the students.
In light of the above the protests and the boycott of the exams has been called off and the SBA has further resolved that:
- The respected members of the Executive Council will face no hindrance of any form at their 89th meeting and shall be welcomed by the Student body wholeheartedly as they discharge their functions.
- Similarly, no act of protest or hinderance shall be undertaken by any student with respect to or at the Annual Convocation. The Student body shall fully support the successful conduct of the same.
