WB Assembly passes bill to replace Governor with CM as state-run universities' Chancellor

Over a week after the West Bengal cabinet passed a resolution allowing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to replace Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar as the Chancellor of state-run universities, the state assembly on Monday passed the Chancellor bill. The cabinet had, on May 26, approved a proposal to replace Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar as the chancellor of varsities amidst his political tussle with the TMC regime in the state. Until now, Governor Dhankhar was holding the Chancellor's position in the 17 government-aided universities.

While Chancellor Bill was being passed in the state assembly, 182 votes were in favour of the bill, whereas 40 votes were against it. The BJP alleged that there were 16 more votes as the total number of BJP MLAs is 56, therefore, the number of opposing votes is unlikely to be 40.  As per sources, the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari has threatened to take this matter to the court. 

Political tussle between Mamata & Dhankhar 

A huge controversy erupted over the decision when West Bengal Education Minister Bratyabrata Basu, on May 26, made a massive announcement, stating that decision has been made to replace West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as the Chancellor of all state-funded universities. 

This major decision had come on the backdrop of a war of words between Governor Dhankhar and CM Mamata Banerjee over appointments of vice-chancellors. In December 2021, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar had claimed that appointments of vice-chancellors of 24 universities in the state were made without his approval or in defiance of orders. Dhankhar is the ex-officio chancellor of the state-run universities, including Calcutta University, Jadavpur University and Presidency University.

"VCs of 24 Universities appointed by Mamata Banerjee in disregard of law. These are ex facie in defiance of specific orders or without approval by Chancellor-the Appointing Authority," the governor had tweeted.

"These appointments carry no legal sanction and would be forced to take action unless soon recalled," he had added. The warning had come close on the heels of chancellors and vice-chancellors of private universities not attending a meeting called by the Governor earlier in the same month at the Raj Bhavan. 

The state Education Minister had said last year that it was time to introspect whether there was a "need to continue with the colonial legacy" of getting the governor to hold the post of chancellor. The West Bengal cabinet's decision was based on a recommendation made by the Punchhi Commission in 2010 that the convention of appointing Governors as chancellors of universities be stopped.