Press Release

Nilotpal Basu, Polit Bureau Member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), wrote a letter to Shri Rajiv Kumar, Chief Election Commissioner of the Election Commission of India, on 16th May 2024, demanding the reversal of the appointments of Vice-Chancellors while the Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha elections is in force.

We are herewith publishing the text of the letter.

May 16, 2024
The Chief Election Commissioner
Election Commission of India
Nirvachan Sadan, Ashoka Road
New Delhi 110 001

Dear Sir,

We are given to understand that the Union Government is making Vice Chancellor appointments for Central Universities even when Model Code of Conduct is in force and just barely 3 weeks before counting of results.

The Union Government had made a recent appointment of the Director of Rajiv Gandhi National Institute for Youth Development, Sriperumpudur. He was appointed on 30 04.2024. Further the Union Government is scheduled to conduct interview for the post Vice Chancellor of Pondicherry Central University on 17.05.2024. This urgency shown by the Union Government to appoint Vice Chancellor of Pondicherry Central University and other Central Universities and other Centrally funded Higher Education Institutions, when the Model Code of Conduct is in force, that too barely 3 weeks before counting of results of the General Elections 2024 could be an attempt to appoint RSS backed academicians.

Apart from the action of BJP Government in making appointments of VC in Central Universities is patently against MCC.

We urge the Election Commission of India to take prompt measures to ensure the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct and to reverse these appointments.

Thanking you,
Yours sincerely
(Nilotpal Basu) Member, Polit Bureau