Bijapur: 5 months after VC's tenure ended at Women's University Karnataka govt yet to appoint new VC
The suspense over the next Vice-Chancellor of Karnataka State Akkamahadevi Women’s University has remained unsolved with the government continuing to delay the appointment of the VC for the lone Women’s University of the state.
It has been almost five months since the tenure of the last VC ended and the university has remained without an active VC ever since. In the absence of an active VC, Omkar Kakade, the Head of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication has held the position of acting VC of the university.
The Committee however has reportedly submitted its recommendations of the candidates for the post about three months ago, but the government is yet to take a final call on the matter. Sources have added that three names recommended by the committee for the post are Prof. Pushpa Savadatti, Prof. Tulasi Mala, and Prof. Gomati Devi.
Since Prof. Gomati Devi has already been appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of Bangalore University, the competition is now left between Prof. Savadatti and Prof. Tulasi Mala.
It is said that Prof. Savadatti is in the race for the post of VC of the Central University of Gulbarga also, however since some other candidates are also in the fray, thus she is trying her luck in Women’s university here.
The allegations against the government is that despite the committee suggesting the names three months ago, the government has been postponing the decision citing various reasons including recently held by-elections and other administrative works.
Amid this, it is learned that both candidates are making efforts to get the final approval in their favor, for which they are in touch with influential leaders.
Once appointed, the VC will become the fifth VC to take charge of the University since its establishment in Bijapur.
After the previous Congress government made an amendment in Karnataka University Act to reserve the post of VC for women only in this university, male professors cannot become VC, however, they can become acting VC.
Though before the government made the amendment itself, no male VC was appointed, but the amendment has officially removed all possibility of male professors elevating their position to the post of VC of women’s university.
Meanwhile, it would be interesting to see when the government will take final decisions and who will become the next VC.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Three central armed police force personnel suspended for playing carrom in TMC office
Kolkata (PTI): The Election Commission suspended three central armed police force personnel after a purported video went viral showing them playing carrom inside a Trinamool Congress (TMC) office at Suri in West Bengal's Birbhum district, a senior official said on Sunday.
A departmental inquiry has been ordered into the matter, he said.
"As of now, these three personnel have been removed from poll duty. We have initiated an inquiry into the incident. The authenticity of the video recording is being checked thoroughly," the poll body official said.
The disciplinary action was triggered by a purported video which went viral on Saturday, showing one personnel playing carrom with three local youths, another standing, and a third seated on a chair inside the TMC office in Suri.
PTI, however, could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
ALSO READ: Anekal man kills mother, sister, injures nephew before attempting suicide
This was the second such disciplinary action taken against the central forces deployed in Bengal in the run up to the to the state elections by the poll body in four days for violating commission's guidelines.
On March 25, the EC transferred seven paramilitary personnel deployed on election duty in Murshidabad district out of the state for allegedly attending an iftar party in violation of guidelines.
The jawans, along with two policemen, had allegedly attended an Iftar on March 8 hosted by local TMC leader Samim Sheikh, husband of Aliara Bibi, pradhan of Nimtita gram panchayat in the Samsergunj area of Murshidabad.
Responding to the latest development in Suri, BJP candidate for the segment, Jagannath Chatterjee, condemned the incident, calling it "extremely reprehensible and disappointing."
"It is unclear how and where the central forces are being deployed. If the local administration or police had a role in this carrom game, strict action should be taken against them as well," Chatterjee said.
Congress Birbhum district president Sanjay Adhikari expressed similar concern, saying, "Playing carrom is not a crime, but doing so inside a political party's office is inappropriate."
Responding to the controversy, TMC leader of Birbhum district Malay Mukherjee said, "Those who were working here understand that casually interacting with TMC is not a crime. That is probably why they were talking and playing carrom."
The EC had previously issued directives prohibiting the deployed CAPF from accepting any form of hospitality or participating in social and private gatherings during poll duty while putting in place strict monitoring mechanisms, including GPS tracking and body cameras, to oversee movement and activities of the forces.
