Two senior officials of the Church of North India’s synod in Delhi, the vicar of St Paul’s Cathedral, Calcutta, and the principal of St James’ School will be the new acting governors on the La Martiniere board.

Most Reverend Prem Chand Singh, moderator of the synod of the Church of North India (CNI), and Alwan Masih, general secretary of the synod; Abir Adhikari, the vicar of St Paul’s Cathedral; and Terence Ireland, St James’ principal, were nominated to the governing board of the two La Martiniere schools by the two permanent ex-officio governors of the board at a meeting held at Bishop House on Chowringhee Road on Friday.

Supriyo Dhar, the reinstated secretary of the schools, attended the meeting as an invitee.

The posts of the four acting governors fell vacant on Tuesday after their nominations were withdrawn by the two permanent ex-officio governors, allegedly because they had objected to the decision to remove Michael Shane Calvert from the post of the secretary and bring Dhar back on the basis of a “unilateral” decision.

The four acting governors whose nominations were withdrawn are Gerry Arathoon, secretary and chief executive of the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE); Anjali Das, principal of United Missionary School; Suchitra Guha, former Tata Steel HR head; and Anil Mukherji, CEO of Tolly Club.

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Reverend Paritosh Canning, the bishop of the CNI’s Calcutta diocese and a permanent ex-officio member of the La Martiniere board, had said on Wednesday that the nominations of the four acting governors had been withdrawn because the previous management under former bishop Reverend Probal Kanto Dutta had not followed rules.

“All the four new acting governors were nominated today. The information about nominating them to the board was conveyed to each of the four acting governors after the meeting today. A meeting of the La Martiniere board will soon be held with the newly nominated acting governors,” Reverend Canning said. The bishop is the president of the board.

The other permanent ex-officio member is the presbyter in charge of St Andrew’s Church, Calcutta.

At least two former acting governors of the La Martiniere board Metro spoke to expressed surprise at the inclusion of the two synod officials in the board and pointed out this was unprecedented. The synod is the CNI’s highest policy-making body.

“This (inclusion of two synod officials) is not acceptable. The La Martiniere schools are not run by the CNI. The move may affect the freedom of the institutions,” said a former acting governor, at present attached to several CNI-run institutions.

An official in the Calcutta diocese, however, said there was no bar on nominating synod officials to the La Martiniere board. “The bishop wouldn’t have nominated the two synod officials if the school constitution had not allowed it. The bishop can nominate anyone who has the experience and expertise to help the institution frame suitable policies in various matters relating to governance and ensure that they are properly implemented. However, the rules say the acting governors must be Christians. There has not been any violation of this clause,” the CNI official said.

The constitution of the La Martiniere schools provides for four acting governors in the board along with two permanent ex-officio board members.