Consortium, NLSIU look to mend ties

BENGALURU: Though the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) had pulled out of the Consortium of National Law Universities, followed by reports of its Vice-Chancellor Sudhir Krishnaswamy being divested of his functions as secretary-treasurer of the consortium, it now appears that no harm was done to the relationship between the two. 

In fact, a reconciliation between the top law institute and the consortium, who had public fall out recently, is in the offing. Faizan Mustafa, former president, Consortium of National Law Universities, and the senior-most member of the Consortium of National Law Universities, said he was “hopeful that bygones will be treated as bygones.”

‘V-C was never removed from post’ 

The comment was made in the light of the consortium’s earlier decision to shift its secretariat out of the NLSIU campus in Bengaluru, to Hyderabad and “divest Sudhir Krishnaswamy of his functions as the secretary-treasurer of the consortium.”Mustafa, who was unanimously selected to discharge all the administrative and secretarial functions of the consortium, said that Prof Sudhir Krishnaswamy was never removed from his post, but was merely asked not to discharge his duties temporarily due to the conflict of interest over CLAT, to be conducted by consortium, and NLAT conducted by the NLSIU. The consortium office has not yet been shifted to NALSAR, Hyderabad, he said in a note.

“We are hopeful that bygones will treated as bygones and NLSIU will continue to play a meaningful role in strengthening the consortium. Being the oldest national law university, NLSIU has the special responsibility of mentoring and helping other NLUs, though in terms of legal status, all national law universities are equal,” Mustafa added.

Meanwhile, NLSIU Registrar Sarasu Esther Thomas told TNIE that the institute will abide by the Supreme Court order. However, the office of the registrar was yet to receive any formal communication about the plan to shift the office of to Hyderabad, or the temporary ousting of the vice-chancellor from his role in the consortium.