Jamia suspends professor for conducting teachers’ association election

Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) in Delhi alleged that the suspended professor took up the assignment of conducting a teachers’ association election without taking permission from the competent authority.

Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has suspended professor Sonya Surabhi Gupta for “unlawfully” taking up an assignment to conduct the teachers’ association election without taking permission from the competent authority.

However, Gupta has rejected all the allegations levelled against her, saying that she has not done anything unlawful.

JMI university also declared the notification issued by Sonya Surabhi Gupta of the Centre for Spanish and Latin American Studies at JMI regarding the conduct of the election, as "null and void" and dissolved the present teachers' association with immediate effect, as reported by Times Now.

An official of the university said that Gupta was appointed as returning officer by Jamia Teachers Association (JTA) office bearers whose tenure concluded in May this year. She issued a list of the candidates for the elections, the official added.

In a memo issued by Registrar Nazim Husain Al-Jafri on Thursday, the university said it informed Gupta that her appointment as returning officer is unlawful as the constitution of JTA has not been approved by the competent body.

"The act of Prof Sonya Surabhi Gupta is against the clause of Service Agreement UGC Regulation 2018 and JMI Act Statutes and Ordinances which construed grievous misconduct on her part," the memo read.

"In view of the above, the Vice Chancellor by exercising the power vested in her hereby places Prof Sonya Surabhi Gupta, Centre for Spanish and Latin American Studies JMI, under suspension with immediate effect pending an inquiry. During the suspension period, she will not be allowed to leave the headquarters without permission of the competent authority," the memo added.

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