The college’s officiating principal circulated a notice Friday threatening disciplinary and legal action against anyone organising dharnas or demonstrations within or outside college premises. (File)

Escalating the stand-off with the principal, the governing body (GB) chairman of Dyal Singh College sealed his office Friday, claiming that he had been occupying it “without authority”.

The principal, I S Bakshi, meanwhile claimed he had received a letter from the college’s bank, stating that they would not process transactions with his signature as they were mandated by the GB to conduct transactions with the officiating principal instead.

On September 24, GB chairman Amitabh Sinha had issued an order sending the principal on a “long leave”, alleging he was guilty of “financial and administrative irregularities.” However, the principal continued going to the college, stating that the order was “illegal” and with “mala fide intentions.” The conflict between the two escalated after the college elections, when Sinha overturned the college Election Committee’s decision to cancel the election of Rohan Awana, supposedly an ABVP member, as president.

The letter written by Sinha to Bakshi Friday stated, “The chairman has been left with no option but to seal the room that is the office of the principal, which you had been occupying without authority.” Bakshi said he is hopeful of intervention from the university and other higher authorities: “This is not a private college where the chairman of the GB can behave like he is the head of a board of trustees.”

DSC teachers’ association president P K Parihar said, “With payday approaching, our salaries are probably going to be blocked… the GB’s actions are illegal.”

Meanwhile, the college’s officiating principal circulated a notice Friday threatening disciplinary and legal action against anyone organising dharnas or demonstrations within or outside college premises.