Dimapur, June 21 (MExN): The North-Eastern Hill University Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) on June 21 has refuted claims that NEHUTA election 2020-21 is unconstitutional, null and void reportedly made by NEHU Vice-Chancellor (VC).
The Association said that the claim itself is null and void, as the VC “has no power to interfere suo moto in the functioning of an independent Association.”
NEHUTA further said that the VC cited statute 44 wrongly to create hindrance in the constitutional functioning of a legally set up Association with the agenda of silencing the teachers’ body, “so that his administrative, financial and other misdeeds are not brought to the notice of Authorities and the public.”
It mentioned that NEHUTA as the watch dog body has been raising various statutory violations by incumbent VC, Prof S K Srivastava. Misinterpretation and deliberate misrepresentation of NEHU statutes and NEHUTA Constitution is a likely strategy to get the second term as VC of this premier University, NEHUTA claimed.
The election was smoothly conducted as per constitution, result was declared and NEHUTA EC 2020-21 took charge on June 19, it stated.
NEHUTA stated that the declaration from the VC that the term of Executive Committee expired is baseless as the provision for the continuance of the incumbent Executive committee is provided in Clause-8, which states, “The term of office of the EC shall be one year. If at the end of the year a new EC could not be constituted because of any unavoidable situation, the incumbent EC shall continue to hold office in care-taker capacity till the next EC takes over. The matter shall, however, have to be subsequently reported to the General Body for approval.”
NEHUTA emphasized that the continuation of the Executive Committee after one year term under the unavoidable situation of COVID-19 and conduct of election for the 2020-21 is perfectly correct as per its Constitution, and refuted the baseless accusations from NEHU. Further no NEHU official like the VC has been given any lawful right to interfere in the functioning of an independent Association, which is granted independence by law, it stated. Any objection to NEHUTA’s internal working can only be from its general body and not from any officer of the University, it stressed.
“By making false allegations against the watchdog independent Association run following its Constitution, the VC is only exposing his malafide intent of covering up unstatutory administrative, financial and academic improprieties and infirmities at the fag end of his term,” NEHUTA said.
The Association also sought proper investigation into the VC’s action, which it said, was intended “to harm the University and its stakeholders.”
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