As a two-member external committee was formed to look into allegations raised against Vice-Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL), Patiala, Prof Jai Shankar Singh, students had raised "concerns of bias".
To address these concerns, a meeting was convened by the committee today, Wednesday, October 2. This was informed via a statement released by the student community.
This committee was formed per the directions of the Chief Justice of High Court of Punjab and Haryana, and the Chancellor of RGNUL to look into the incident, wherein, the VC had entered the girls' hostel for a "surprise inspection" and passed sexist remarks on September 22.
In the meeting, students raised their concerns and were assured that after the mediation, students would be allowed to suggest names to be appointed to the committee. Hence, the statement mentioned the following names have been added to the committee:
1. Prof (Dr) Faizan Mustafa, Vice-Chancellor, Chanakya National Law University, Patna
2. Gautam Bhatia, Constitutional Law Scholar and Advocate
3. Dr Anindita Pujari, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court
A meeting with the now five-member committee was held, the statement from the students went on to inform.
Explaining what happened to a Special Committee Report which was submitted to the Under Secretary of Department of Higher Education, Government of Punjab, the committee and the students requested that the report be shared with them.
"The Special Committee, a 9 member panel, was constituted by the Vice-Chancellor. Out of this, 3 members resigned and further deliberations were made by the remaining committee. The Report was sent to the Department and the same had not been made public," mentioned the statement.
On receiving the report, the students pointed out that the VC entered the third-year students' rooms despite no grievance from them and the hostel of third years does not house any first years.
No conclusion was reached nor was a resolution achieved at the end of the meeting. Students demanded that the VC go on an "administrative leave" until the committee reveals its findings.
"The Meeting concluded on the note that the Chancellor's office must be requested for the exact Terms of Reference delineating the mandate of the Committee and, meanwhile, the student community will chalk out the requests and send them to the panel members," the statement said.
