WB VC Appointments: Supreme Court Seeks Resolution Based on Justice UU Lalit’s Report
The Supreme Court on Thursday heard the ongoing dispute between the West Bengal government and Governor CV Anand Bose over the appointment of Vice Chancellors in state universities, and urged both sides to settle the remaining issues peacefully.
The matter was heard by the Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi.
Attorney General R. Venkataramani appeared for the Governor, while Senior Advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Jaideep Gupta represented the State of West Bengal.
At the outset, the Attorney General informed the Court that all documents, including the report prepared by former Chief Justice UU Lalit, had been submitted in a sealed cover. “I can assure that we (with Mr. Singhvi) can sit together and find out how best we can resolve the matter,” he told the Court.
The Bench agreed that the report should be shared with both sides to facilitate further progress. “Let the copy of the report submitted by Hon’ble Mr. Justice UU Lalit be supplied to learned counsels for the parties, for them to be able to assist the Court,” the Bench ordered.
Justice Surya Kant, referring to the findings in the report, noted that in 19 universities, the Governor, acting as Chancellor, had approved the first preference suggested by the Chief Minister in most cases. “Out of them, 17 in any case, there is no dispute. With regard to one, the name was recommended and the Chancellor agreed, but she probably has not joined,” he said.
The Bench added that for the remaining universities, second and third preferences had been accepted, seven and eight respectively. Only two appointments appeared to be pending resolution.
“If your lordships may share the report, we will be able to resolve even these two cases,” the AG responded.
Praising the efforts, the Bench remarked, “Justice Lalit has put so much hard work. He has put in so much time. This is something, a very admirable job.”
The Court posted the matter for further hearing after 10 days.
Previously
It is to be noted that the Supreme Court in January 2025 had granted more time to West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose in order to finalise the appointment process for vice-chancellors in the state's universities.
On 9 December, 2024 the Supreme Court was told that the West Bengal Governor had appointed full-term vice-chancellors for six universities and five more would be cleared soon.
Previously in November 2024, the Apex Court had refused to intervene in appointing vice-chancellors at West Bengal universities, following a report that the committee led by former Justice U.U. Lalit had already submitted its recommendations to the West Bengal Chief Minister.
In July 2024, the Supreme Court had appointed former Chief Justice of India U U Lalit as chairman of the Search-cum-Selection Committees for appointment of Vice Chancellors in all state universities in West Bengal following a "rift" between the TMC government and the Governor, leading to "chaos" in such institutions.
The Court had also nominated eminent educationists, scientists, jurists, subject experts and administrators etc for the purpose of empanelment on the committee. It invoked its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to do complete justice in this matter and passed the common order for constitution of Search-cum-Selection Committee for all the subject Universities.
Earlier, in March 2023, a Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court had quashed the appointment of Vice Chancellors in 29 state-run universities. It was also claimed that the state government had appointed or reappointed VCs of 24 state universities as well as extended the tenure of vice-chancellors without following the prescribed norms of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Case Title: State of West Bengal v. Dr. Sanat Kumar Ghosh