President Murmu Withholds Assent to West Bengal Bill Proposing CM as University Chancellor

In a significant political development, President Droupadi Murmu has withheld assent to the West Bengal government’s bill that proposed appointing the Chief Minister as the Chancellor of state-run universities. The decision comes as a major setback to the Mamata Banerjee-led government, which had sought to replace the Governor with the Chief Minister in the role of Chancellor. The bill, passed earlier by the West Bengal Assembly, aimed to shift the authority of appointing vice-chancellors and overseeing universities from the Governor to the elected head of the state government. However, the proposal did not receive presidential approval, effectively halting its implementation. Sources indicate that the decision underscores ongoing tensions between the state government and the Governor’s office over control of higher education institutions. The move is being seen as a constitutional and political blow to the Trinamool Congress government, which had argued that the change was necessary for better coordination and governance of universities. Political reactions are now awaited from the West Bengal government, with expectations of a strong response from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Opposition parties have welcomed the decision, calling it a protection of constitutional norms. Further developments are expected as the state government considers its next course of action.

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