SUPREME COURT ASSIGNS JUSTICE UU LALIT PANEL TO INDEPENDENTLY APPOINT VICE CHANCELLORS FOR 15 STATE-AIDED UNIVERSITIES IN WEST BENGAL:

On August 1, 2025, the Supreme Court modified its earlier directions concerning the appointment of Vice Chancellors in West Bengal’s state-aided universities. The Court entrusted former Chief Justice of India UU Lalit and the selection committee headed by him with the authority to independently identify and recommend the most suitable candidates for appointment in 15 universities.

A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi stated that Justice Lalit and his fellow committee members were best suited to resolve the ongoing dispute. They noted that the committee had already interacted with the candidates and reviewed their academic qualifications, experience, and capabilities. Accordingly, the Court held that the committee would no longer be bound by the order of preference submitted by the Chief Minister of West Bengal while recommending candidates. However, it directed that the opinions and observations previously made by both the Chief Minister and the Governor (who also serves as Chancellor of state universities) be duly considered.

The Court specifically modified Paragraphs 18 and 21 of its July 2024 judgment to reflect that Justice Lalit and his committee would now have the discretion to determine the merit and suitability of each candidate independently. While the committee is expected to consider the Governor’s remarks and assign appropriate weight to any reasons provided by the Chief Minister in recommending a particular order of preference, it is not obligated to follow that order.

This development came in the context of a long-standing dispute between the West Bengal Government and Governor CV Anand Bose regarding Vice Chancellor appointments. In July 2024, the Supreme Court had formed the Search-cum-Selection Committee headed by Justice Lalit to mediate the impasse and ensure a transparent and fair process for university appointments. To date, 17 Vice Chancellors have been appointed following the committee’s recommendations, and these appointments have received the Chancellor’s approval.

During the hearing, the Court reviewed Justice Lalit's latest report, submitted on July 11, 2025, which detailed the differing views of the Governor and Chief Minister regarding the remaining 15 appointments. In seven cases, the Chancellor had selected candidates ranked second in the Chief Minister's preference list. In eight cases, he had opted for those ranked third. Justice Lalit’s report had not provided an independent opinion on these variations, prompting the Court to update the earlier process.

Originally, the July 2024 judgment required both the Chancellor and the Chief Minister to record objections to any candidate, with the final decision resting with the Court. However, the bench held that this procedure needed revision. To expedite resolution, it granted the committee the authority to form its own preference list and make final recommendations without further intervention from the Court.

The bench requested Justice Lalit and his fellow committee members to complete the remaining appointments as soon as possible. The matter has been listed for further hearing in four weeks.

Regarding Rabindra Bharati University, the Court directed the Chancellor to approve the appointment of Professor Dr. Sonali Chakraborty Banerjee, whose name had been recommended by the Chief Minister. The Chancellor had previously withheld approval on the grounds that she had been appointed Vice Chancellor of West Bengal State University. However, the Court was informed that she had not assumed charge at that institution. Consequently, the Court ruled that the earlier reason for withholding her appointment no longer applied and permitted her to resign from West Bengal State University, if necessary, to join Rabindra Bharati University.

For Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University, the Court held that if the Chancellor had no objections to the Chief Minister’s first-preference candidate, the appointment should proceed without delay, keeping the best interests of the students in mind.

The case stems from a Special Leave Petition filed by the West Bengal government challenging a June 2023 Calcutta High Court ruling that upheld interim Vice Chancellor appointments made unilaterally by the Governor. By modifying its earlier judgment and empowering the Justice Lalit-led committee, the Supreme Court has taken a decisive step toward resolving the administrative deadlock over university governance in the state.