Chakrabati is the first woman Vice-Chancellor of the Calcutta University. She is the wife of Alapan Banerjee, former West Bengal Chief Secretary and the current chief advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Calcutta University VC Sonali Chakravarti to be removed from her post on HC orders
The Calcutta High Court has dismissed a decision of the state government to reappoint Sonali Chakrabarti Banerjee as the Calcutta University's Vice-Chancellor. Chakrabati is the first woman Vice-Chancellor of the Calcutta University. She is the wife of Alapan Banerjee, former West Bengal Chief Secretary and the current chief advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
On August 28, 2021, the state government announced its decision to re-appoint Sonali Chakrabarti Banerjee. However, that decision was challenged in the court by advocate Anindya Sundar Das. During the hearing, the state advocate general, SN Mukhopadhyay had argued that as per the rules of the Calcutta University, the re-appointment of a Vice-Chancellor is not at par with any appointment for the same post.
He argued that the appointment is made as per provisions of the University Grants Commission (UGC). But in case of re-appointment, the West Bengal Governor needs to accept the decision of the state government.
The petitioner counsel, Billwadal Bhattcharya, however, placed a counter argument that the state government gave re-appointment to Sonali Chakrabarti Banerjee without giving prior intimation to the-then Governor, Jagdeep Dhankhar, who is now the Vice President of India.
Now, after all the hearings the division bench of the Calcutta High Court’s Chief Justice, Prakash Srivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj, observed that the re-appointment was not in accordance with law and hence, Sonali Chakrabarti Banerjee should be immediately removed from that chair.
Meanwhile, as per media reports, the state government is planning to approach the Supreme Court against the decision.
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