The issue of Bangalore University Vice-Chancellor Prof K R Venugopal’s appointment has resurfaced as his term is coming to an end.
Following another plea made by the Chief Minister’s nominee for the VC's post, Prof Sangamesh Patil, on the invitation for applications, the Supreme Court agreed to an urgent hearing of the plea on Thursday, June 2.
Questioning the appointment of Venugopal, Patil had filed a petition earlier as well as his appointment was done by the Governor of Karnataka, without concurrence from the state government. He had stated that he was to be vice-chancellor, as he had been recommended by the chief minister.
The Karnataka High Court had upheld an order, quashing the appointment of Venugopal. However, after several petitions, when the VC's post remained vacant for nearly three weeks, the Supreme Court stayed the order, allowing Venugopal to continue in his role.
With Venugopal’s term to end on June 11, Bangalore University put out a notice for application of vice-chancellors, on May 20. Citing this, Patil filed another plea challenging the notification.
The university, for the last few months, has been in turmoil because of the appointment of Venugopal.
Initially, protests were happening on the campus since the post of the VC was vacant. However, recently, protests erupted yet again against allegations that Venugopal was trying to use university funds for the development of the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE).
This did not go down well with the syndicate members as it was without approval that he tried to do so and that too just a few weeks before his term concludes, a period during which he is not allowed to take financial decisions.
