Belagavi: The decision of Governor Vajubhai Vala to hold a meeting of the Executive Council (EC) of Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) on May 5 at Raj Bhavan has come under criticism from a section of educationists in the state as they feel that the power to hold a meeting of VTU's EC vests only in the Vice-Chancellor or any other top officer of the university who is appointed as in-charge VC.
A few days after VTU's in-charge VC H.G. Shekharappa and Registrar K.E. Prakash resigned from their posts unable to bear the pressure exerted by officials of Raj Bhavan on them, the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of VTU called a meeting of the EC at Raj Bhavan on Thursday. None of the EC members were informed about the meeting's agenda by Raj Bhavan but were asked to attend the meeting.
“It is the first time that we are hearing of the Governor holding a meeting of the university Executive Council. I consulted several legal experts on whether the Governor can hold a meeting, but most of them replied in the negative.
The Governor is expected to appoint somebody as VC of the university and make way for the EC meeting under the VC's leadership. It will be a direct intervention by the Governor in the affairs of VTU if he holds a meeting of EC himself,'' said a member of VTU's EC on condition of anonymity.
