President Murmu Rejects Bill to Appoint CM as Chancellor
Major setback for West Bengal Government; Governor to remain constitutional head of state universities.
Policy Update
Constitutional Decision
In a definitive move that settles a long-standing constitutional tussle, President Droupadi Murmu has withheld her assent to the West Bengal University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2022. The bill, which was passed by the state assembly, had proposed replacing the Governor with the Chief Minister as the Chancellor of all state-aided universities.
The rejection solidifies the status quo, meaning that Governor Dr. C.V. Ananda Bose will continue to discharge his duties as the Chancellor of state universities. This decision is seen as a significant setback for the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, which had argued that the Governor's role created administrative bottlenecks in the higher education system.
The President has also rejected a parallel amendment bill concerning Aliah University, which sought to appoint the Chief Minister as the 'Amir-e-Jamia' (Chancellor).
Background of the Conflict
The legislative push began in June 2022, during a period of intense friction between the state government and the then-Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar. The state assembly passed the bill to divest the Governor of the Chancellor's powers, a move the opposition BJP criticized as an attempt to assert "direct political control" over academic institutions.
Current Governor C.V. Ananda Bose had reserved the bill for the President's consideration on April 20, 2024. Under Article 200 of the Constitution, a Governor may reserve a bill for the President if they believe it derogates from the powers of the High Court or requires central scrutiny on concurrent list subjects like education.
