Former Patna HC judge appointed Acting VC of CNLU, protests called off for two days

The students of Chanakya National Law University (CNLU), Patna have agreed to put their protests on hold, in light of reassurances received by Chief Justice of the Patna High Court and Chancellor of the University, Justice Rajendra Menon.

Meanwhile, Justice Menon has appointed retired judge of the Patna High Court Justice Mridula Mishra as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University.

A notification to that effect, signed by Registrar SP Singh, was published today. As per the same, Justice Mishra will look after the day-to-day running of the University until further orders.

The students have been on protest for the last four days, ever since news emerged that former NUJS Vice-Chancellor Prof Ishwara Bhat was likely to be appointed as VC of CNLU. Dissent was also shown against outgoing VC Prof A Lakshminath, who according to the students, was guilty of maladministration during his tenure at the helm. A statement by the student body reveals,

“The protest has been going on incessantly for ninety-six hours now, with the students taking their protest outside the confines of their hostels, and braving all the odds that came in their way. The students have borne the brunt of the burning sun, not given up to the pesky mosquitoes in the dead of night, just so that the administration might lend an ear to their voices, take cognizance of their demands, and give them what is rightfully theirs. They did not bother to even enquire the whereabouts of the students.”

However, after meeting with the Chancellor, the students have decided to call off the protests. This, after having received an assurance that an inquiry commission would be constituted within two days to investigate the allegations against the administration.

The allegations include lack of transparency in allocation of funds, absence of permanent faculty and academic initiatives, no infrastructural development, no accountability and transparency in administrative procedures, among others.