A platform of pro-Trinamool Congress educators on Friday said they were in favour of immediate "constructive talks" between the West Bengal government and Governor CV Ananda Bose over the academic functioning of 31 state universities that don't have full-time vice-chancellors.

The Educationists' Forum, consisting of former vice-chancellors Om Prakash Mishra, Debnarayan Bandyopadhyay and Dipak Kar among others, claimed that due to the "inaction of the governor, who is the ex-officio chancellor of the state universities, the process of search and selection committees for the 31 universities in West Bengal has been stalled." "Since none of the state Acts on administration and regulations of universities has been set aside by the Calcutta High Court or the Supreme Court, in what capacity and under what provisions of law is the chancellor denying and defying the legal provisions?," Mishra, former VC of North Bengal University, said.

"We are in favour of constructive dialogue and positive action. We again request the chancellor to confer with the government of West Bengal immediately and reverse the illegalities committed in the administration of the universities for the past six months," he added.

The forum also called upon the chancellor "to issue necessary direction to his appointees in all the universities to abide by the Supreme Court’s October 6 order immediately." On October 6, the top court had stayed the emoluments of newly appointed interim VCs of state universities in West Bengal. In an earlier directive, the court had said it will set up a search committee to select VCs.

The Raj Bhavan had appointed 16 interim VCs in the past few months but state education minister Bratya Basu described them as "illegal entrants" not having the sanction of the higher education department.

The issue of having full-time VCs in 31 state universities remains unresolved till this date as the apex court is yet to come out with any directive over the issue of appointment.

"We urge the government of West Bengal to move the Supreme Court on the pending Bills with the governor and or become an added party," Mishra said.

West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee had on November 7 urged Bose to approve the 22 Bills sent to Raj Bhavan after passage in the House over the years.

In reply, Bose said, "It is clear that 12 Bills are pending for clarification from the state, one has been assented by the Hon’ble President with certain conditions and two others are awaiting Hon’ble President’s consideration. Seven other Bills related to university matters are sub-judice.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.