Mumbai University registrar K Venkatramani has moved the Bombay high court against state governor K Sankaranarayanan’s order that led to his suspension last week.
The governor had called for punitive action against the registrar
over irregularities in the 2008 senate elections.
The Bombay University and College Teachers’ Union (Buctu) members, BR Salve and V Shekade, had filed a writ petition in the high court raising objection to Subhash Athavale’s appointment as a senate member. Athavale is a librarian at CHM College. The court directed the chancellor’s office to take a decision.
Declaring Athavale’s election null and void, Sankaranarayanan’s March 5 order said: “Venkatramani has failed in his duties by accepting Athavale’s nomination”.
According to university sources, Venkatramani has challenged the order and said the decision to consider a librarian equivalent to a teacher was taken by the then acting vice-chancellor AD Sawant.
The petition said in 2000-2005 senate elections, Buctu had nominated a librarian, MO John from Khalsa College, who joined the senate. “In 2005, Athavale contested and no one raised any objections,” said a source.
As prescribed by the Maharashtra Universities Act. Venkatramani wasn’t served a show-cause notice, nor was an inquiry committee set up. “He was given a suspension order and a charge sheet,” said an official. “I’ve followed the governor’s order. The order asks him to respond within 15 days. We’ll then decide the course of action,” said acting vice-chancellor Chandra Krishnamurthy.
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