President Murmu withholds assent to 2 Bengal bills that proposed CM to become Chancellor

President Droupadi Murmu has withheld her assent to two crucial amendment bills related to state universities in West Bengal, effectively blocking a major proposed change to the state’s higher education system. These two bills were designed to alter the powers of the Governor and the Chancellor of state-aided universities. Experts had suggested that the approval of these amendments would have had a significant impact on the structure of the state's universities, but their implementation is currently stalled due to the President's decision.

The core of the controversy lies in the proposed replacement of the Governor. According to sources from Raj Bhavan, the Governor reserved the West Bengal Universities Act (Amendment) Bill, 2022 for the President’s consideration on April 20, 2024. This bill proposed the appointment of the Chief Minister instead of the Governor as the Chancellor of all state-aided universities. On the same day, the Alia University (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which proposed the Chief Minister be appointed as the Amir-e-Jamia (Chancellor) of Alia University, was also reserved.

The President's decision is reported to be based on the existing primary Act governing state-aided universities, which clearly mandates, "The Governor shall be the Chancellor of the university by virtue of his office." In view of this fundamental provision, the President refrained from giving her assent to both amendment bills. As a result, the post of Chancellor in state universities will remain with the Governor for the time being, maintaining the status quo in the state's higher education leadership.