Education Minister Manish Sisodia. (File)
Education Minister Manish Sisodia has written to Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi, alleging interference from the university in the election of the governing body chairman of colleges funded by the government.
Sources said the university had, earlier in the day, sent a letter with instructions on the formation of governing body to 28 colleges. There are 28 colleges funded by Delhi government, of which 12 are fully funded, while the remaining 16 get 5 per cent of their funds from the state.
Sources said Sisodia wrote to Tyagi after DU asked Satyawati College to postpone elections for the post of chairman, as three governing body members were absent. Stating that the university was crossing all legal and ethical limits, Sisodia said, “Such directions from the university are completely illegal and in violation of university statues. This interference seems to reflect a politically motivated and malafide intent on your behalf, which is not befitting of an academician and administrator.”
The Executive Council resolution number 51 says, “At the meetings of the governing body, one third of the members shall form a quorum. No act or proceedings of the governing body shall be invalidated merely by reason of existence of a vacancy or vacancies of its members.”
A governing body has 15 members, including five nominees each by the Delhi government and the university, a principal as the member secretary and teachers of the college.
The university letter has four instructions, in context to the governing body. Step I is to convene an introductory meeting of all members, Step II is to formally announce the election, Step III seeking nomination from members and Step IV is holding the election.
Sisodia claimed that earlier, too he had received complaints about DU assistant registrar Pradeep Kumar and the Joint Dean academics asking principals to make sure that a Delhi government nominee is not elected as chairman.
However, Kumar said, “How can such allegations be levelled against the university? We are just saying that the election should be held democratically and everyone should get the chance to vote.”
DU and the government have been in a tussle over formation of the governing body, notified a month ago after an 18-month delay.